Kill Me If You Can
by valentine999
Summary: An alternate and very strange way as to how Alpha Force get together, everyone's a bit OoC at the beginning but they change etc! Rated T for general language/violence...you guys know the drill. Very much HexXAmber PauloXLi AlexXOC...or is it?
1. Welcome to the Party

-OK I know it's beyond ridiculous of me to stop writing one AF fic and then start another but this ONE line popped into my head and out of that this whole story formed. And I couldn't include it in _The Devil's Backbone _because it just didn't fit!

-Don't worry; Lily won't be in this one…unless I get bored, or sad for Alex because OH THERE WILL BE HEARTBREAK FOR A FEW …. XD bit too excited I think.

-Oh and LOTS of bad language…and mention of drugs…and sex….they are pretty old anyways so it's OK! XD

-everyone starts off a bit OoC but then they grow into themselves…whatever! It's like an alternate way to how they became Alpha. It's gonna be a very odd story. :-S

-and I may just delete it if no one likes it!

* * *

"Squadron A, leader…" The girl with ebony coloured skin stood up from the bench and in a seductive, arrogant swagger, slinked over to the weapons rack. The girls watching her tilted their heads, studying her movements for they wanted to copy them later. She tossed her head back in such a way that her hair caught the light; the girls all sighed, why couldn't they do that? "Takes the pocket-pistol." The man shouted as she chose the semi-automatic. Many boys behind the wall laughed out loud; obviously a girl would've chosen something so pathetic. "Squadron B leader chooses…" There were a few moments of baited breath where everyone waited to see what kind of boy they were up against.

On the other side of the wall a tall boy stood up and flicked brown hair out of his green eyes in a swift, aggressive movement. He ran over to the weapons rack, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible; he'd left a program running in his room and needed to see to it soon. The boys watched him debate which weapon he was going to use, admiring the ability he had to sort information fast and weigh up which weapon to take. There was masculinity about the older teenager that the younger of the boys wanted to emulate.

"The last Pistol-calibre Carbine." There was cheering from the boys' side of the wall. "Both leaders take position," as this was said the leader of the girls team and the leader of the boys team walked to the centre of the wall and waited a few feet from a door. There were a few more seconds of complete silence; "reveal!" The man shouted and the door blocking the leaders from each other's view opened.

"Amber Middleton."

"Hex." Everyone was surprised that they knew who it was going to be for they had spoken before getting a good look. The man with the clipboard stuttered as though trying to regain control as each squadron burst into fits of either laughter or excited chatter. A man came up to Amber and she clicked her tongue with impatience as he shouted some rules at her for the tenth time. She saw Hex was getting the same treatment and smiled sweetly at him just to watch his grimace linger.

"Would you mind," the man in charge said and everyone was immediately quiet, "telling us how you knew who it was?" He said in disbelief, Amber shrugged.

"I smelt geek." Amber said scathingly, Hex's right eye twitched and he slung his weapon over his shoulder and looked her up and down.

"Premonition of pure evil." He said and rolled his eyes as Amber smiled as though this were a compliment. "How're you doing Middleton?" He asked and even the adults looked from one to another, wondering who was in charge here, for the two seemed to be playing a game of their own. Amber cocked her gun and coughed to get Hex's attention again as his eyes had moved instinctively towards her weapon.

"This party sucks." She said and inspected her nails.

"Then why'd you come?" the boy shook his head.

"Oh…"

**How Amber Got to the Party**

"Move bitches." Amber held up her hands, indicating she didn't want to touch the lesser of this camp's society. A group of girls younger than her recognised her immediately and moved out of the way. "Thank you," she said kindly and smiled a perfect smile at them all, "let's move." She urged the three or four girls behind her; she hadn't nor intended to count how many there were, there was no need, there was always someone. They walked into the canteen and scanned the area for available seats. Amber coughed loudly and immediately people moved from a table close to her, she smiled at them and her posse sat around her, immediately began the discussion of who was wearing what that morning. But Amber was easily bored by the conversation, her uncle had sent her to this God forsaken place and she hadn't realised why until recently. Everything here reminded her of her parents, and then just reminded her of the person she'd become since they'd left her. Someone threw some papers into her lap and she jumped; shrugging her previous thoughts from her mind.

"It's your turn to baby-sit." The person said and Amber licked her lips as she looked up to him. She leant back against the table as he folded his arms, fed up as usual with her antics, but everyone knew it was a façade; she loved to tease him and it amused him.

"Alex, Alex, Alex." She said slowly while shaking her head in disappointment. She stood up and her group smiled; knowing how annoyed Amber got when being told what to do. His grey eyes watched her intently as she shoved the papers back into his arms. "I don't do that kind of stuff." She turned away from him with a wicked smile and waited for him to call out to her, she was stood waiting for at least two minutes before she got fed up; did this boy not know how to play this game? When she turned back around she was surprised to see he really didn't care.

"Whatever Middleton," Alex said before taking out his mobile phone and Amber noticed him smile slightly as he read the text he just received. He looked back up to her and almost laughed at the look on her face, "it's either the kids or Squadron Leader and I know you don't like to play dirty so I saved you the bother-"

"You know what Alex?" Amber said scathingly before poking him in the chest with her index finger, Alex rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna be a Squadron Leader, save your little girlfriend the hassle of being one-"

"She's not my girl-"

"Yeah whatever," and as an after-thought she added, "Brit." Before sitting down again.

"Well be at the hall at 10.30." Alex checked his watch before walking off. Amber watched him go, wondering when it was that Craig got made boss.

* * *

_Back in the hall_

"Oh, Craig roped you into this?" Hex nodded at Amber who shrugged.

"Whatever," she said impatiently, "let's do this." She smoothed her hair away from her face and Hex smiled at her suggestion. The man next to Amber gawped at them both before straightening up.

"Hex, pick your second in command." He ordered and Hex glanced over his shoulder. A tall boy with tanned skin walked forwards in a lazy fashion, smiling slyly at Amber who stared back with the same hidden contempt he had for her.

"Amber, your second in command will be?" The man asked and Amber didn't even need to glance back before her friend had jumped to her side quickly.

"Hey Li," she muttered and the other girl said nothing, she looked Hex up and down, weighing up how best to tackle the situation.

"Alright," A new voice sounded and they all looked around to see Alex stood a few feet behind Amber. "Let me explain the rules." He opened a file and took out a sheaf of papers, Amber groaned, they were going to be here a long time and in this game she only had two rules: 1. Don't die and 2. Get Hex.

Hex shivered for some reason and looked up to see Amber smiling at him sweetly. He was right; that girl was trouble.

* * *

It was just the :

"I smelt geek."

and

"Premonition of pure evil."

Was what I thought of, now I really have no idea what to do with the story XP

Tell me what you want to happen!


	2. First Impressions

"You have forty minutes to make a game plan," Alex addressed the four in front of him, "each go to your own side and confer with your teams; you'll be released into opposite sides of the arena and an alarm will signal the start of the game." He concluded and checked his notes that this was all that needed to be said. He glanced back up at them all and shook his head with a smile as he saw the boredom on Middleton's face, the excitement on Cheong's face, the terror on Hex's face and the dreamy look on Paulo's face as he glanced over to the girl's side. Alex sighed and walked over to the boy's side, but before he got to the wall Amber held an arm up to stop him moving.

"Since when were you in charge?" She asked quietly and Alex smirked.

"Since someone realised I'm waaaaaaaaaay to good for this." He said smoothly in reply, Amber laughed.

"Watch it Craig," she said in reference to his fake arrogance, "you're no James Bond." She smiled at him and Alex glanced down as she fingered the gun in her hand, he leant in a little closer to her ear.

"And you're no Bond girl." He replied and walked away, leaving Amber with her mouth open in shock and detest to his comment. She looked to her friend Li who was trying to hide her sniggering.

"Those guys," Amber said to her and they turned to the wall to see Alex walk through the door, "have no idea what they're in for." She waved as Alex turned and saluted to her from the other side. The door shut behind Alex and he sighed; was it weird that Middleton actually scared the hell out of him? He looked over to Hex and Paulo who greeted him with a nod of the head, as they walked back to the bench behind him to talk to their teams someone shouted from the back;

"What happened between you guys?" They were referring to the relationship between the leaders of the boy's team and the leaders of the girl's teams. The boys shook their heads; if it weren't for the girls they might've been spared the task of squadron leaders. If it weren't for the events on their first night.

* * *

**Their First night**

Alex made his way to his room; he looked at the tag on the key they'd given him: 39 was his room number. He knew he was sharing with two other boys and there was a girl's room opposite but none of it bothered him much; he was looking forwards to the events this place had to offer. He lifted his bag up over the heads of some children as they sat in the hall playing cards. This place was referred to as a "camp," but everyone saw it more as a training centre. The camp received the latest technology in terms of survival expertise and military training; on the ride here Alex had talked to other kids about the place and they'd all suspected it was a place that trained the next generation of spies. Of course they weren't serious and they'd been surprised to find that Alex hand already been promoted (via a letter to his home) to the position of a Leader. It simply meant that instead of participating fully in events he'd be supervising them, organising them and babysitting the kids. He didn't really mind though; the selection process to get to come here was hard enough. Seventeen cities around the world had taken part in a search for 250 kids, aged 7-17, who'd be good enough for this place and seeing as Alex had gotten a place to come he wasn't going to start complaining. He reached his room and inserted the key in the lock but as soon as she opened the door he was sure there'd been a mistake; he only got a glimpse of colours of pinks and lilacs and a wave of perfume hit him as he was engulfed by some ear piercing music, before he was pushed, coughing from the fumes, out of the room.

"You can't just walk into our room like that!" Someone shouted at him and he cleared his throat and finally looked at the person in front of him.

"I thought it was my room!" He said instinctively before blushing as he realised the girl in front of him was just in a towel. He averted his eyes and the girl who had slanted eyes and a petite frame walked over to him. She came very close to him and stared at him as he tried to look away.

"Let me see your key." She said quickly and he became flustered before holding it up to her face, feeling the temperature rise as she leant closer to him to see the number. "OH!" She said loudly as she read the number. "There's been a change in rooms," she said before turning away from him and Alex was glad he could breathe again but still found it very difficult to look at her. "Here," she said and threw another key at him, he grabbed it and looked at her in confusion. "You're in the room opposite Craig." She pointed to a door with the number 40 on it and walked into her room, as the door opened Alex covered his nose form the over powering smell of the perfume before he realised she knew his surname.

"They got you too?" Alex jumped back as the door to number 40 opened and a well built, handsome Hispanic boy stood before him. What is it with the people here; they just jump out at you whenever they like! Alex nodded grimly.

"At least you didn't get sprayed!" Another boy shouted and came out of the room to join the two at the door. "I still stink of that perfume!" He said with a smile, Alex found himself looking at a mess of brown hair with intelligent green eyes that seemed to almost process Alex like he were written information. "Hex." The boy said and held out his hand, Alex smiled too and took his hand.

"Alex," he said and turned to the Hispanic boy who seemed to be more interested in the door of number 39- it was opening and closing and he moved his head to glance inside.

"The perv is Paulo." Hex said and hit his roommate on the back to get his attention.

"Oh sorry," Paulo said an took Alex hand before practically pulling him into their room. "Did you say your name was Alex?" He asked as though suddenly realising something. Alex threw his bag on the only empty bed and as he turned around he nodded. Paulo whistled and removed his t-shirt, still pondering over Alex.

"You...like the name Alex?" He asked uncertainly but Hex, who was sat on his bed cross-legged, looked up from a small gadget in his hands.

"No it's not that," he leant back against the wall and spoke rather bluntly. "Your surname's Craig right?" Alex nodded and sat down opposite him, "well then you're the guy who got promoted before we even got here." Hex said and went back to whatever was shown on his screen. Alex blushed, he really didn't think it was that big an achievement but he had no idea he was the _only one! _He didn't want to seem arrogant so just shrugged when Paulo smiled at him. Alex stood up and looked around the room for the first time; it was pretty basic, en-suite bathroom, three cupboards for each of them, three beds, a mirror on the wall which Alex suspected Paulo would use the most and already there was a mess of papers and luggage dotted around the place. Alex took one of his cases and opened it, checking it was alright; Hex looked up and peered around Alex's hands. "NO WAY!" He shouted and came to sit next to Alex. "Is that a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster?!" He shouted and looked into the bag with such a look of awe that Alex laughed as he'd spoken so quickly too.

"Yeah-"

"What's that?" Paulo asked, coming out of the bathroom in just a towel. Alex removed the electric guitar from the case and Paulo nodded as he saw it. "What's so great?" He asked and Hex stroked the smooth wood of the guitar's body.

"It's just so...do you have amps?" He asked Alex suddenly and Paulo realised he wasn't going to get an answer so turned to the mirror. Alex shook his head-

"They said there'd be some here-"

"Why would they want you to bring a guitar?" Paulo asked and saw in the mirror Alex shrugged.

"They didn't say, it just stated that if i played an instrument it would be advisable to bring it with me." He said and thought for a moment, "maybe it'll count as an extra-curricular activity or something?" He wondered out loud and the other two nodded in agreement. Hex was going to ask Alex something else when they heard some loud music coming from the room opposite, at least they thought it was. They were silent for a minute to listen to what it was;

"_I've been thinking about  
How you've been messing around  
Why do you get your kicks from hurting me?"_

Hex almost through up.

"That's a disgrace to music." He muttered and stood up, he went to the door and put an ear against the hard wood. "Some girl band." He stated with evident distaste and walked to his bed. "Do you guys mind if I put something decent on?" He asked and the other boys shook their heads. Alex began to remove his coat and placed it at the end of his bed; it was 11pm but he wasn't feeling sleepy.

"So long as it's better than that." Paulo pointed to the door, indicating the girl's music before putting a top over his bare body. Hex smiled and a moment later music was playing from a small gadget in his hands. Alex was surprised that the music could be that loud from the device, it got louder as Hex hooked it up to some speaker from his bag. Alex smiled when he heard the music properly.

"_You aren't allowed to say that you're better  
You aren't allowed to say that cause you're the hipster type."  
_

"The Cribs," He said, nodding in appreciation. Hex smiled at him before lying down and playing with the gadget again. "What is that-" but he stopped speaking, all the boys stopped what they were doing. The music from the girls room had gotten louder.

"_Sorry, no can do  
'Cause you're never really gonna make it better  
So forget forever"_

Hex merely reached across to his speakers and pressed a button three times, the music instantly became at equal volume to the girl's.

"_You've got a lot to say, but don't mention  
The mirror kissing ways of the hipster type  
You aren't allowed to say anything"  
_

"You were saying?" He looked at Alex who stood up and pointed to the device in his hands.

"Yeah what is-"

"_Don't try to sweet talk me no more  
'Cause I've heard it all before  
What makes you think I'd want you back again?"_

Hex reached across again and put the volume up; it was a little louder than they wanted it to be.

"_We kicked around down water lane  
But you're not all there  
You aren't allowed to say anything"_

But Alex never got a chance to ask his question because, for the next five minutes there was a battle between the rooms of who could get their music louder. It got so bad that Alex, hex and Paulo simply sat on their beds with their hands on their ears.

"Make it stop!" Paulo shouted to Hex who risked taking his hands from his ears and turning their music off. Now just the girl's music was blaring in the background, the boys took their hands away from their ears.

"Let's just go ask them to turn it down!" Alex had to almost shout over the noise. The other boys nodded and they all went out of their room. As soon as Paulo extended his hand to knock on the door the music stopped. They all looked at each other ominously as they heard what sounded like shrieks and the quick movements of people running around before an eerie silence ensued. Paulo knocked. The door crept open to reveal a slim and tall black girl in tight jeans and a t-shirt, besides her stood the anglo-chinese girl Alex had bumped into. He was grateful to see she was wearing close, it did unnerve him though when she winked at him. "Erm," Alex began, "we were just wondering if you could," he gulped, there was something the way the dark skin girl glanced them all up and down that unnerved him.

"Could what? Talk faster." She prompted him. She looked over to Hex. "Alright gadget boy?" She said scathingly and Hex's eyes narrowed on her.

"Could you turn your music down?" Alex said quickly as he saw Hex was going to retaliate. The two girls turned to each other before Li pointed what looked like a remote control to the sound system in the room. She pushed the button.

"_Sorry, no can do  
'Cause you're never really gonna make it better!"_

They shouted the lyrics at the boys who just stood in stunned silence as the girls, and others in the room simply began to dance.

_  
"So forget forever  
Now it's time to face it boy we're through _

_'Cause I ain't got time for your conversations  
So sorry, no can do" _

The girls slowly moved back into their room and the door shut.

_  
"Don't try and even call me on the telephone  
It don't mean a thing 'cause I'm on my own..."_

The boys looked at each other after a few moments.

"What the hell was that?" Alex asked, still dumbfounded by what just happened.

"They didn't listen to us at all!" Paulo shouted in vain hope they could hear him in the room.

"They just signalled war." Hex said ominously, Alex and Paulo looked round to him. "Alex, are you familiar with protests songs of the sixties and seventies?" He asked calmly but Alex could tell there was something in his voice that meant he had a plan. Alex nodded. "Good." He stated simply. "I've got an idea."

* * *

**Yeah so not much is happening but pretty much every review was like- **_**What the hell is going on?!- **_**so i thought SOME explaining was needed. I told you it was going to be an odd story XP**

**This chapter was inspired by real life events XD it's what gave me an idea! Except I was on the boys side...weird but whatever- i like both songs. They were _No can do, _by the Sugababes and _Mirror Kissers _by The Cribs. Also, I don't really know much about guitars so please no one be like- WTF?!  
**

**Reviews welcome! **


	3. Star Spangled Banner

**Hello! Exams are over…and have been over for a while but I haven't been feeling this fic so much, I gave it a try and well, you guys be the judge!

* * *

**"Are you insane?!" Alex whispered as loudly as he dared. "You want me to play Hendrix?" He elbowed Hex in the ribs to get his attention as the boy was peering through the darkness to see what Paulo was doing.

"How long have you been playing the guitar for?" Hex asked in a bored voice.

"Since I was seven- but that's beside the point!" Alex looked around to make sure no one was coming. A few minutes after the incident outside the girls' room, Hex had somehow managed to access blueprints of the camp and they had used them as a map to get here. They were outside what the blueprint called "Wavelength Centre," but it was too dark to see what the sign said so they had to guess they were right. They couldn't bring any torches with them or they'd get caught for sure so Paulo worked in almost complete darkness to unlock on the door and Hex was shutting down any alarm system they had. The doors were automatic and luckily their controls were in the same place as the alarm system; to the left of the doors in a small black bow that was fasted to the side of the building. Quite how Hex could manage to evade a security system, Alex did not know, he did know one thing however. "If we get caught-"

"Look, Alex," Paulo turned to him and pointed a screwdriver around Hex in an almost threatening manner, "I've just met you and I like you." He jabbed the screwdriver in Alex's direction and the boy jumped, "let's keep things that way." The Hispanic boy went back to work, leaving Alex to worry in silence. Inside the building were the amps Alex needed for his guitar, and at first he'd been all up for going to get them and complete Hex's plan, but now, in the darkness, outside the Wavelength Centre, he wasn't so sure. "Damn," Paulo said loudly and the others turned to him, Hex directed the light of his palmtop at the boy.

"What is it?" Hex asked.

"I need more light!" Paulo sounded irritated suddenly but soon lost it and his lazy self came back. "Just give me a minute." He muttered and went back to work. Alex was about to take another look around when he felt something hit his left shoulder lightly.

"Well, well, well." A smooth, female voice with an accent that was difficult to pinpoint, said and the three boys froze. "What do we have here?" Alex felt whatever was on his shoulder, travel down his back and leave him. He shivered; he couldn't tell what it was exactly but he could sense it was heavy and long. Hex was next to experience the strange sensation; it would have been soothing had it not been from a stranger in the darkness. And then Paulo who smirked slightly; he could tell from her voice, the weapon and her actions at lest three things: 1. she was their age, 2. she was pretty and 3. she had talent with a sword. He sighed, sometimes his talents went to waste. "Speak your names gentlemen, it may be the last time you say them." The boys were about to answer when they realised something; who the hell was she, to tell them what to do? The three stood up slowly and as they did they realised another thing; there were three of them and one of her, why were they so scared? They turned to her slowly and found that they could hardly see her in the darkness. Hex held up his palmtop to her and she shielded her eyes from the sudden glare. Paulo grinned; he had been right. The girl stood in all black with no light in her hand which impressed Alex because it meant she'd got here without making a noise in complete darkness. She had olive coloured skin and the brightest hazel eyes Hex had ever seen; catlike they were almost. She had dark brown hair that she'd put up roughly into a bun but one thing she had not thought about, Paulo noticed, she was wearing perfume, it would give her away easily…so why hadn't he noticed it until now? In regards to the sword prediction he was spot on, the girl had with her a bokken. Alex recognised it instantly as he, from a young age, had a fascination with weapons. She saw him eyeing it eagerly and drew it closer to herself. A bokken was a wooden sword, in this case shaped as a katana, or Samuri sword, used for training; Alex had never seen one in real life before. Now that they were looking at each other and the girl's cat-like eyes slowly scanned them all, they could see she was just as confident as she sounded and stood as though ready for combat.

"Easy," Paulo said, holding up his hands and for some reason Hex and Alex were reminded of how you'd treat an animal, a horse perhaps.

"I asked your names." She said again.

"Paulo Vasques." Paulo pointed to himself, "Hex Brown," he patted Hex shoulder before pointing to Alex, "Alex Craig." The girl smiled at them almost mockingly.

"Now, we've introduced ourselves," Alex said, taking a step forwards, "why don't you tell us your name?" He was about to take another step but the girl quickly brought her bokken up to his neck. It wasn't a blade, it could do no major harm but the speed in which she had reacted shocked Alex and so he remained motionless. She looked him up and down before responding.

"Razor." There was a moment of silence. Alex, Paulo and Hex laughed and she blushed.

"Try your real name." Hex suggested and she scowled.

"And I suppose Hex is simply a modern name I haven't heard of?" The smile on Hex face was gone and eventually Alex and Paulo stopped smiling. They turned to him.

"Actually," Alex said slowly, "what is your real name?" Hex opened his mouth to speak to Alex but then changed his mind.

"What's your full name?" Hex asked, changing the subject and for the first time the girl's face softened.

"Why my full name?" She asked, still sounding a little suspicious of them.

"Because I'd like to look you up in the phonebook." Hex said and she smiled.

"Camille Violet bint Farisal-Zarqa'. " She said quickly and the boys looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"That's quite a name." Alex commented to fill the silence.

"My dad's Arab, my mum's French." She explained with a shrug and lowered her weapon wearily. "Look, I don't know what you're doing here but if the Angels catch you-"

"What're the Angels?" Hex asked, suddenly worried.

"They're the guys that patrol the camp at night." She replied and brought her bokken back so she could lean against it.

"Why're the called Angels?" Alex asked and Camille blushed, suddenly she looked very hot.

"Because they're angels." She said quietly.

"What they're divine creatures?" Hex began, "a benevolent celestial being-"

"They're clients of prostitutes," she said _(A/N: colloquial term for this is an angel…I have no idea why!) _and the boys drew back from her slightly. There was a moment of silence in which they looked at her with scrutiny.

"I did not see that coming." Alex said.

"Me either," Hex added and the boys began conversation into why they were called angels and the fact that the girl knew this.

"Listen," Camille muttered but no one was listening, "listen!" She said a little louder and the boys stopped talking. "If the angels find you," she looked around Hex to see the open black box, "breaking into the Wavelength, you guys are going to get thrown out." She said sternly and the boys contemplated.

"So maybe," Paulo said smoothly and Hex noticed he exaggerated his accent, "you could keep look out?" He asked and walked up to her, she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow as he placed a hand on her arm. She laughed and pushed him away.

"Don't even try," she said and looked to the other two, "well I can't get you to leave, but I'm just warning you. You don't want to get caught by those guys." She said and turned away from them.

"Wait," Alex called to her and she stopped walking but did not turn around, "will we see you again?" Hex and Paulo looked at each other; Alex never seemed the type to be so forward.

"Of course," she cocked her head back to them, "I'm just another kid at this camp. I'll see you around, Craig." She held up a hand to say goodbye before walking into the darkness. Alex sighed and looked back to the other two.

"What?" He said as he noticed their looks.

"Alex if you wanted a minute or two with her," Hex began and Alex hit his arm.

"I wanted to ask her about her bokken!" He protested and rounded on Paulo as he sniggered. Paulo straightened his face and nodded sagely.

"Ah, her sword." He said and Alex nodded, "you know Alex you could've asked me." Alex looked to him, "I've got a pretty big sword," he sniggered and Hex laughed too.

"Let's just do this." Alex said and the three turned back to the Wavelength to continue with their break in.

* * *

**---5 a.m.---**

"You ready?" Hex asked Alex and the boy nodded, positioning his guitar on his knee. The three boys were crouched by their door inside their room, they'd hooked everything up and were ready to go. "You ready?" Hex asked Paulo who grinned before handing out earmuffs to them both. They all placed the earmuffs on; there was about to be a very loud wake up call for the girls. Alex took a deep breath, he'd never be as good as Hendrix but at least he could give it a try. He struck the first note.

* * *

Amber woke with a jump and immediately clamped her hands on her ears. She sat up straight in the bed and directly opposite her saw a terrified looking Li. Other girls in the room had pillows against their ears and were shouting to one another. Amber said nothing, she glanced to her clock; 5.01 am. She shouted some random swear words before standing up on her bed. Li was shouting something at her.

"WHAT?!" Amber screamed above the noise even though they still held their hands against their ears. Li shouted something but all she heard were the words star and anthem. Amber closed her eyes and found she could hear more clearly. The sound, an electric guitar…it was the American National Anthem…but messed up. Amber turned to their door and knew immediately who it was. She gathered up all her courage to take her hands away from her ears; the sound was so loud she was sure she'd be deafened, but she was determined not to show them any sign of weakness. She walked up to the door and opened it sharply before freezing. The Hispanic boy and the geek were stood in front of their door with their hands on their chests; Hex even had the audacity to wipe a tear of joy from his cheek. Amber smiled at them sweetly and they saluted her as she too, in her night clothes, put a hand to her heart and at the top of her voice screamed:

"Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light  
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming." She shouted the words of the anthem at them and they smiled at her and were about to join in when the sound was cut suddenly. "WHOSE BROAD STRIPES-" Amber stopped as everyone began laughing at her for she had carried on when the music had stopped. They looked around for the source of the music stopping and Alex came out of the room with a sly smile.

"What's…shit." He whispered and the other four (now Li had joined Amber at the door) looked to the place Alex was staring to, down the corridor.

"Shit indeed, Mr Craig." A man, in a military uniform appraised the teenagers. He inhaled deeply and they could hear the breath rattling in his lungs. He was so old yet frightening that the five suddenly feared for their lives; he looked like the kind of man that would whip you for insolence. "Well done," his accent was British, "you five have just volunteered yourselves to help out with the festivities going on today," he said in an overly happy voice, evidently the festivities were not celebratory. "Mr Craig, you haven't even had an induction meeting," he said sadly and Alex blushed, "as for the rest of you," he seemed to grow in size as he got angrier, a vein in his temple expanded and pulsed as though ready to explode. "I have _never, _in all my years here seen such…" he searched for the right word, "_INSUBORDINATION!" _He shouted at them and sprayed their faces with spit. "You will report to my office after breakfast to receive full details of your punishment." He could barely contain his anger as he clenched his hands into fists and towered above them, a thunderous look crossed his face. He continued to shout random abuse at them in such an angry tone that the words slurred into one another and he made no sense, it would have been funny had it not been for the fact that they were so terrified. "CRAIG?"

"Sir?" Alex stood to attention.

"You will take Miss Razor's contact number in order to organise today's activity and find out the agenda for today." The man looked directly at Alex and the boy gulped. "IS THAT CLEAR?"

"Ye…wait- Razor?" Alex asked, just realising what the man said and from behind the ageing man, the girl with too long a name peered over to Alex. She saluted him and he stared at her open mouthed.

"Razor?" The man shouted without realising she was just behind him and turned to her.

"Sir?" She stood to attention, properly, the others noticed, with the salute and all.

"Sort this filth out!" He screamed again and she nodded.

"Of course Sir." As she said this he took one last moment to glare at the other five kids before leaving. Camille watched him go and looked back to the five behind her, she turned and looked them up and down. One glance at Amber and she could tell what kind of girl she was, Li took a bit more time until she smiled and the boys, well, they'd already met. They all stared at each other for a minute before she laughed. "Idiots," she muttered, before looking at Alex, "here," she handed him a mobile phone, "take this, it already has my number in it." He tried to say thanks but it came out as a weird grunt. "Right," she said and looked to the girls, "get this cleared up," she said before turning away. "I'll phone you later Alex." They watched her walk away.

"Why do you think _she's _going to phone me?" Alex asked and Paulo whistled.

"Maybe she wants to know how long _your _bokken is." He muttered and Hex laughed. The girls simply rolled their eyes and shared a look that clearly said one word; _men._

"I heard that." Camille shouted from down the corridor.

* * *

**Ok, Ok, so still not much is being explained I know but it'll happen next chap when Razor (lol at that name) (lol at me for thinking of it…you'll find out why she's called that later as well) and Alex get together. I mean for a meeting not..,.**_**get together, **_**if you catch my drift. Caught it? Good? **

**Sorry, this chapter didn't quite turn out how I wanted it but I'll try harder next time…PROMISE.**

**Btw, the song Alex plays is AMAZING. It's Hendrix playing star spangled banner but he plays it in a way that interrupts the melody to make the sound of planes and falling bombs etc. You can find it on youtube! Check it out!**

**Ok, I really need to stop writing so much!**

**Reviews appreciated!**


	4. Meet the Gang

**So basically, I am bored. As does happen during half term and chemistry coursework doesn't seem too appealing. So I thought- Hey, I have had an inspirational moment for KMIYC, I should write it down before I forget.

* * *

**

_Back in the hall_

"And that is what happened," Alex concluded the retelling of that morning. The gathered boys in front of him, about thirty from the ages of seven to seventeen, all took in the information and nodded wisely.

"You guys are legends!" Someone shouted from the back and the boys cheered. Paulo, Hex and Alex blushed at the admiration the boys showed towards them. The three of them looked at each other with wry smiles; they supposed it was kind of cool, what they'd done. Alex was going to tell everyone to calm down but then someone else called out.

"Tell us the rest then!" They said and there were shouts of agreement.

"That is all you asked for," Paulo said and before he could continue a ten year old boy stood up from the middle of the crowd.

"But you never told us how you got into these positions or anything!" He said and Alex rubbed the back of his neck wearily; they needed to get on with their plans or Razor would kill him.

"That is a less interesting story." Paulo called back and it was strange as the thirty boys adopted identical looks; one eyebrow raised, mouth slightly open and an overall expression of disbelief on their faces.

"But I want to know!" A younger boy, perhaps eight years old, said at the front and at this everyone started talking at once. In the end it was just getting on Alex's nerves. "Finish the story Hex!" he called and Hex looked to Alex who nodded his consent.

"Let's do this quickly." Alex said and Hex nodded before taking a large breath and continuing the tale of that morning…

* * *

**That Morning**

"I can't believe those _Neanderthals," _Amber practically spat out the word, "pull that crap with us and then _we _get the blame!" She shouted down the corridor and kicked an empty cardboard box out of her way.

"Hey," Amber and Li turned back to see who was talking but saw it was Hex walking with Paulo and just turned around to walk on. "If you guys hadn't been so immature-"

"_Immature?!" _Amber shouted at him, "so you decided to deafen us?" Unknown to Hex and Amber, Paulo and Li had glanced at each other, shrugged and walked together into the Dining Hall for breakfast. "You are…" Amber couldn't even think up a word to describe the boy. Li popped her head around the door and gulped as she saw the two were staring at each other with such deadly intent that she knew she had to do something.

"Amber!" She called and walked up to her side, "perhaps we err…" she looked Hex up and down, "shouldn't judge a book by its overly geeky cover?" She suggested and Paulo walked out to Hex's side.

"I'm not sure it's such a good idea," Paulo said to Li for it seemed the other two were not listening at all but having a staring contest, "to take the bull by the horns."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Li smiled at him and he nodded to Amber and Hex.

"_Look _before you leap."

"Every cloud has a silver lining."

"I should be so lucky." Paulo said quickly and Li thought for a second.

"Wha…That's a Kylie Minogue song!" Li exclaimed and Paulo's face went blank.

"Damn," he said after a moment and the girls looked to each other before bursting into fits of laughter. Paulo's face went scarlet and even Hex chuckled before he and Amber realised they were arguing and went back to glaring at each other. "Alright girls," Paulo said seriously and took Hex by the shoulders to drag him into the Dining Hall, "we'll see you after breakfast to receive our punishment." He slowly took Hex through the doors and the girls stood outside.

"Let's go." Amber muttered irritably and followed the boys into the hall. If anyone looked closely they'd see almost a look of remorse on Amber's face before she pushed the doors open and adopted that fake smile, the one she'd perfected over the years.

* * *

**_At the same time…where Alex was. _**

Just after Camille had left and the boys had cleaned themselves up, Alex was pulling on his t-shirt when the phone she had given him, vibrated. He'd received a text from her telling him to meet her in the Administration block where everyone had first gone upon entry to the camp to get keys and sort out paper work. Now he was walking there hurriedly for Razor didn't seem like the kind of girl he wanted to upset. He walked out of the dormitories and was relieved to see greenery; it was almost claustrophobic for him, being stuck inside concrete buildings for so long. And he sighed as he approached the Administration building for all the buildings here looked like someone had sucked the life out of whatever architect decided to build them; they were just…unwelcoming. He pushed the doors open and came to reception, it was just how he remembered; like a hospital. With it's fake cleanliness, whitewashed walls and shiny floor. At the reception desk sat a young woman, she must've been in her early twenties with curly blonde hair and deep red lips. She was very welcoming but, something Alex had experienced upon meeting her, she was one to seduce the teen males of the camp. He approached the desk and upon hearing the squeak of his trainers on the floor, she glanced up and flashed a smile at him.

"Alex?" She said in her high pitched voice that made his ears hurt.

"Yeah," he looked around, "I was told to meet Razor here?" He inquired and she nodded before leaning forwards to grab the phone and as she did the colour in Alex's cheeks rose and he looked away; couldn't she button her shirt up all the way to the top?

"Hello?" She squeaked and leant back in her chair with another grin at Alex who smiled politely back. "Yeah, he's here-"

"So am I." Alex heard a weary voice say and turned around. Razor was stood in skinny jeans, a white shirt and an oversized military jacket. The breast of her jacket had far too many medals than he thought was possible for anyone to have gained and as his eyes travelled down to her hips he smiled as he saw her bokken was tied to her belt. "My eyes are up here." She said and pointed as Alex blushed for the second time.

"I wasn't-"

"Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand at him to stop him speaking. "Let's move," she said to him and put her hands in her pockets. She walked to his side and as he nodded at her she moved away, he followed her closely as she spoke to him. "I am going to introduce you to the most important people in this place. Eventually you will become one of them," Alex smiled, "but arrogance will get you nowhere. Talk back, you'll get thrown out, don't listen, you'll get thrown out, interrupt one of your superiors and-"

"I'll get thrown out?" He laughed but then his face went straight as she stopped walking and he saw there was no smile on her lips.

"Did you not just listen to anything I said?"

"Yes…" He said slowly, he didn't really understand the question but then he saw her raise an eyebrow, "I mean…no?" She rolled her eyes.

"Look Alex, I'm going to explain to you the way this place works; what happens here, why it happens and who it happens to." She turned right sharply and he almost walked into her. "Understand?" Alex nodded and continued to walk at her side. "The woman you met at reception is called Sally. There isn't much else to say really; she's just the receptionist, you don't need to know her too well." Camille thought for a moment, "in fact, _don't _get to know her too well."

"Why not?"

"She will eat you alive." Razor said ominously and Alex gulped. "There are a total of fifty adults at this camp, some of which you'll never meet. Half of them are angels. The man you met this morning, Sergeant Major Pierce, is," she tried to think of a title to describe him, "like the vice President of the camp. The President is General Creek-"

"Were they part of the army?" Alex asked and Razor nodded.

"How many left?" She said to herself, trying to remember where she got in the list, "twenty-three." She nodded, "right, then you've got a head Medical Officer, head of Administration, head of Public Relations, head of environment and extra curricular activities." Alex tried to keep up but she was walking and talking very fast, "and the other…nineteen, are simply teachers in the camp."

"So how do you fit in?"

"For each "adult position" there is a teenager that has the same position." She replied, "Gets the kids more involved or something. And it's those teenagers that you'll be meeting now. "This," she stopped outside a door with a rusty-gold number five on it, "is Max's place. He's the Junior Medic," she explained and before Alex had time to ask her anything or prepare, she knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" A rather posh voice asked from inside the room and Camille sighed.

"Father Christmas," as she said this Alex heard something fall over as though the boy had hurried to the door, in an instant the door opened and the boy looked around hopefully. He caught sight of Alex and Razor and his face fell.

"Oh, it's just you." He said sadly and Alex could see from the way Razor shut her eyes and took a deep breath she was trying not to get angry. "With the new guy!" He said excitedly and held out a hand to Alex who took it, "Alex Craig, I say…" He looked Alex up and down and, much to Alex concern hitched a strange, almost hungry smile. Alex pulled his hand away from Max as politely as he could and he could see Camille trying to conceal a smirk. "How are you doing?" He asked and Alex took a step back slightly too get a good look at the boy. He had a mess of black hair that didn't look as though it had been combed through at any point in his life, he was very pale with brown eyes and a few freckles.

"Good thanks," Alex answered, "you?" Max laughed.

"Absolutely smashing." He smiled and Camille laughed at the look on Alex's face before turning her laughter into a cough.

"You going down to the Hospital?" Razor asked and Max, who was looking at Alex still, shook his head.

"I'm on call today," and as he said it a beep issued from his jean pocket. He took out a pager and looked at it for a few seconds, "well, I must be off." He grabbed his coat from behind the door, "lovely to meet you Alex." He said and shut the door behind him as he walked out.

"You too," Alex said with a smile which soon vanished as Max winked at him. Camille and Alex watched the boy slink down the corridor; he was very tall and lanky so his shadow still reached them even when he was at the end of the hallway.

"Is he…err," Alex began and simply gave a meaningful look to Camille who took a minute to get what the look meant.

"Gay?" She asked and Alex nodded, "no." She said confidently, "although, the way he winked at you…" she left the sentence hanging and walked away again. "Alright," she stopped at another door, this time with a number eleven on it, "this is Amy, she's head of Admin. She detests life itself. _Never, _make a joke with her." She said seriously before knocking. The door opened and an irritated looking girl, short with red hair scraped back into a bun and her eyebrows a little higher than usual which gave her a look of constant surprise.

"What do you want Cammie?" She asked sternly and Razor simply smiled.

"This is Alex, the new guy." Amy looked him up and down and Alex gave her the same treatment. She was dressed in a black and white suit which made her look at least three times her age.

"Oh," was all she said, "how are you?" She asked him and had that look on her face and tone of voice that clearly meant she didn't give a damn.

"Good," Alex replied, "yourself?" She almost seemed to soften as he showed interest and she stood a little straighter.

"Fine. I'll see you at breakfast." She said quickly before shutting the door.

"Yeah," Razor nodded at the look on Alex's face, "that's about as nice as she gets." She said and began to walk away again.

"If you say so, _Cammie," _He stressed the last word and all Razor had to do was look at him, "I'm sorry." He said quickly as he saw she'd put a hand on the handle of her bokken.

"You can meet the other's at the meeting after breakfast," she said as she turned around; evidently she had changed her mind. "This place exists to train kids, let them have a good time and all that. But it's also here to get them to grow up." They walked back to reception and Sally waved at Alex who lifted a hand in acknowledgement but, to her disappointment, they did not stop but kept walking. "The general organisation of the place is that there are eight squadrons, around thirty kids in each, but you're in classes and training with people of your age. At the end of each fortnight you play "the game." But we start off with a game anyway to test people's abilities and change their squadrons if there's something wrong." She pushed open a white door which Alex would not have noticed because the wall was the same colour, if it were not for the silver door handle. "Each kid wears one of these," she walked into the room where there was only a table and a filing cabinet, from the table she picked up what looked like white card on a piece of string. "A tag," she explained, "it has their name, squadron number, age, medical information." She shrugged. "Everyone gets a timetable at breakfast so they know what lesson to go to." She thought and as she did she bit her lip, "I think that's everything. Any questions?"

"Yeah," Alex, who was looking around the empty room, looked back to her, "what is my position in this place?" He asked and for some reason was finding this "camp" stranger by the minute.

"You're just a supervisor," she said with a smile, "in weapon training and a Captain in _The Game_." He nodded.

"Right." He said and there was something empty in the way he spoke that made Razor look at him sharply. She put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up and was surprised to see she actually seemed concerned.

"What's wrong?" She asked but he didn't quite know how to explain. "Don't worry; I know things seem a bit weird but just think of yourself as a Camp Leader," they laughed. "OK?" She asked and Alex nodded. "Good." She smiled but then turned serious. "Now take your clothes off."

* * *

**You know, as I was writing this I was like…why is this weird? There's something really un-alpha force-y about it but then I realised it's because Alpha Force spend no time together in this chapter ****:)**

** At least I hope it is, otherwise, I'm in trouble. ****:(**

**I hope this answers all your questions. Apart from The Game which is explained as they play. **

**Reviews appreciated!**


	5. The Game

**Hey howdy hey, here is the next thrilling instalment XD

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**

"Wait- what?!" Paulo shouted and took Alex by the shoulders and looked him in the eye, "did you do it?" Alex shrugged.

"Yeah-"

"WHAT?!" Hex turned to him sharply and pushed a smaller kid out of the way to look at Alex. The blonde looked up from his notes on his clipboard and couldn't understand what the other two were excited about.

"You tend to take your clothes off when getting a medical examination." Alex said bluntly and the other two took a moment to realise what he meant. They looked disappointed.

"An opportunity missed." Paulo said consolingly and put a hand on Alex shoulder while shaking his head wisely. Hex seemed to adopt a similar look of shallow understanding and Alex laughed.

"Me and Razor?" He chuckled, "that girl scares the hell out of me." He shook his head and there was a tone of seriousness that Alex used that wiped the smiles off Hex and Paulo's faces. They moved, if possible even closer and Alex seemed to shrink away from them.

"Why?" Hex asked and Paulo pushed a younger boy away from them as he came to ask a question. Alex thought back to a few hours ago, when he had been walking back to the canteen with Razor.

"Well…" Alex began again.

* * *

_-Alex and Razor's journey back to the canteen-_

Alex and Camille walked in silence to the canteen after an uneventful medical examination in which Alex had been uncomfortably stripped by a doctor and examined while Camille stood waiting for him. Although he could've sworn, as they had left, Razor had smirked slightly when handing him back his t-shirt. Alex looked over to her now and saw her hand, probably out of habit, was stroking the handle of her bokken affectionately.

"Do you carry that thing everywhere?" He asked and she nodded. "Why?" They had to dodge some kids playing football in the corridor.

"So that I can do things like this." Razor said to him and before he even had time to blink, she had removed her bokken from its holder on her hip, got down on one knee and spread her arm out to block the corridor. An unsuspecting eleven year old boy, a member of the corridor football club, came rushing after the ball and tripped over Razor's bokken. As the boy went skidding on his stomach down the corridor, Razor stood up next to an open mouthed Alex. They walked over to the boy who had picked himself up and Alex, who had rushed to his side and appeared there first, could tell the boy was close to tears. Camille walked over gingerly to the pair and put a hand on the shoulder of the boy, came down to his level and looked him in the eye. "No running in the corridors," she said sternly and stood back up. Alex looked from the boy to Razor and back again, still shocked. "You alright?" Razor said after a moment, the boy sniffed and rubbed his stomach. "Get out of here." She said and the boy nodded before walking slowly back down the corridor.

* * *

-_Back in the hall-_

"Whoa," Hex said and let out a low whistle.

"Yeah, but she's still pretty," Paulo pointed out as though this somehow cancelled out what she had done. Hex stared at him.

"The girl is nuts!" He exclaimed and Alex nodded even though a tiny part of him found her anarchistic actions and reckless violence strangely endearing. "That's abuse." Hex said with a shake of his head.

"But they love her," Alex said with a hint of disbelief, "I mean, seriously adore her. All the kids here." He rubbed his cheek, still trying to understand it, "this," he pointed around the room, "is _our _squadron's Game, but out of the eight, _four _other squadrons wanted her to lead them." He muttered, "I don't understand it, she hates them and yet…" her voice trailed away to show even words could not articulate the insanity of the situation. "What happened to you guys in the morning?" Alex asked them, changing the subject.

"Oh, we got called to Sergeant Major Pierce's office," Hex shivered from the memories. "He just shouted for a while and gave us _detention." _Hex drawled mockingly, "as if we're in school or something!" He protested, "and we have to do it with those two," he nodded to the wall, indicating the two girls Alex had properly met that morning. He wasn't too sure what to make of them, the girl in the towel on their first night, Li, seemed relatively normal. Although slightly too happy first thing in the morning, she was nice. But Amber was a totally different issue, what with the bias coming from Hex; Alex couldn't help but see her as the snobby upper class girl who he'd never converse with.

"AM I PAYING YOU TO STAND AROUNG CRAIG?!" A voice shouted to him and he jumped. Alex, Hex and Paulo all stood to attention and relaxed as they saw it was just Razor, standing at the other side of the room.

"You're not paying me!" Alex shouted back.

"Get on with it." She said and left. As soon as she did the group of boys in front of them went from silence to such a noise of chatter that Paulo couldn't hear himself think.

"See?" Alex said to him and Hex, "when she's around they're angels, as soon as she goes…" He gestured to the rabble in front of him. "Alright, alright, calm down!" He shouted at the group and they all turned their heads to Alex and were quiet immediately. Hex and Paulo took their positions behind him. "Alright, this is our first Game. It's going to be scary," he said seriously to the younger boys, "but you can't expect the big kids to help you out, stick in threes. That way there's one to get hurt, one to stay with you and one to get help." Alex continued to lecture his group, on the other side of the wall similar events were taking place. "It'll be fine," he said, "they're just a bunch of girls."

* * *

-_On the other side of the wall.- _

"Kill them all." Amber said to the gathered girls in front of her and rolled her eyes when they all began to cheer for her. Noticing she was not impressed they stopped immediately. "Now kids," she looked to the youngest ones gathered at the front, "everyone go for ones your age, the boys will do the same, otherwise its unethical and trust me, you guys can kick their sorry arses." One girl attempted a cheer but Amber's stare stopped her. "So, after we've grabbed our weapons, we'll take the positions I've indicated on the map and begin the massacre." She smiled brightly at them all, "'K?"

"'K!" They all shouted back. Amber and Li lined up in front of the girls.

"Hex is mine," Amber warned her comrades in a lowered voice.

"Paulo's mine, he looks like fun to beat up." Li said in a surprisingly bubbly voice for the discussion of slaughter. They both looked round to Razor who was eyeing up their guns with great suspicion.

"Never liked guns," she commented and caught them looking, "afraid I'm not on anyone's team so I can't help you out. Good luck though." She said to them and went away to call the teams to their stations.

* * *

**_The Game_**

Hex ducked down behind the small wall made of wood and listened for any sounds that could indicate an enemy. He tried to lower the sound of his breathing but the adrenaline rushing through his veins made him want to turn and run, ready to escape; he needed to get calm, breathe and take in his surroundings. He was sat on the brow of a hill, behind a man-made wall of wood, put in place by the creators of this wood. The game had been going on for forty minutes now and only twenty minutes remained. He looked to the tiny display screen on his weapon; he had enough ammunition left and three out of five lives. Every weapon used in the Game was a gun, built in with a laser to shoot at enemies. It was just an epically large, grand, dangerous version of laser tag. Every gun contained the number of "shots" that corresponded with the realistic amount of ammo each gun would have and on the tags around their necks a sensor was kept. It was in between the folds of plastic and, Hex had marvelled at how advanced it was, when shot at in the right place the tag recorded what gun was used (hence taking the name of the attacker), the time it happened and it signalled to the gun he was holding to reduce his number of lives. He had three left; he'd done good so far. His breathing was lessening and he wiped sweat from his brow. He jumped as someone came with a crash into the wall. The mess of blonde hair told him it was-

"Alex!" He whispered urgently and the blonde looked at him with unfocused eyes, his gun held loosely in his hands. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Alex said, regaining his orientation after his fall. "I ran from a huge group of them; their attacking in teams, you know that right?" Hex nodded and looked down to Alex's display; he had four lives left! "Anyone approached this area?" Alex asked and rubbed the back of his neck, Hex shook his head. The Game, this time, was a capture the flag type of event. Each team had been given a glass bottle, in it was a message, it's contents unknown to either team. The bottles were kept at bases on opposite sides of the wood. The object of the game was to capture the bottle and get the message, the first team to do that would win.

"We close to them?" Hex asked as Alex massaged his shoulder.

"Yes. Paulo's leading a team straight for them," he muttered and automatically checked his pack, which Hex had only just noticed, was still attached to him. "What happens if no one wins?" Alex said suddenly, "I mean, if time runs out, we've only got," he checked his display, "ten minutes left."

"Then this would've been pointless." Hex commented and Alex nodded. "Actually, not too pointless," he said and to answer Alex's look he added: "I pretty much annihilated Middleton from the word go." He smiled triumphantly and Alex laughed.

"You ever think all this rivalry is really a defence for feelings even you don't want to admit to because in truth you feel they'd never be returned and all will end in a dismal attempt to reconcile what little you had with her in the beginning?" Alex said it all in one breath and Hex raised an eyebrow.

"If you want to talk like a girl why don't you become captain of their team?" He asked and Alex nodded.

"You're right, sorry mate, no idea where that came from-"

"You hang out with Razor too much," Hex said and they both returned their attention to the scene just over the wall.

"I've only known her a few hours!" Alex protested and placed his gun to aim just over the wooden wall.

"Yes because hanging out with Max wouldn't make you talk like a girl." Hex and Alex looked to Alex's right to find Razor looking over the wall with them, keeping down so as not to be seen. Alex looked to Hex who shrugged. "Hey," she greeted them both with a nod.

"Hi," the said in unison before peering over the wall again.

"Alex told us of your escapades in the morning, Razor," Hex said and Alex could've hit him.

"Oh?" Razor looked across to Hex but something told Alex she was avoiding his eye. Before Hex could continue Alex cut across him.

"What're you doing here, Cammie?" She looked at him with such distaste it was as though he'd muttered an ugly swear word.

"Checking on the teams," she replied. "Keeping an eye on the kids. Generic stuff like that." Alex and Hex nodded.

"This is ridiculous." A new voice said and they looked to Razor's right and greeted Paulo with a nod. "Those girls are like bees and I am the honey." He said and smiled as Razor smirked. "Hello Razor," he said, rolling the R of her name.

"Howdy," she said back and they all continued watching over the wall.

"Raze," Hex said to her and she couldn't tell if she liked the nickname or not, "how come you're not captain of the girls team?" He asked and Razor shrugged.

"Don't know, but I have always fancied myself as a captain," she said, smiling at the idea.

"Unlike Paulo who's always fancied himself." Li said and they laughed. Slowly the laughter died down and they realised who had spoken. Slowly, for they did not want to believe it, they looked to Paulo's right to see Li smiling at them all behind a gun.

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated ****J**** I hope you all understood the Game, simple really, wasn't it!**


	6. Detention

**Hello all. This chapter is a goodbye present. I'm leaving for three months. It's extra long to make up for it!

* * *

**Hex, Alex, Razor and Paulo sat in shocked silence as Li continued to aim her gun straight between Paulo's eyes and smile mischievously at them. Luckily, Razor recovered first and jumped over the wooden wall in front of them. The others turned their head sharply to her and watched as she took out her bokken so fast they missed it if they blinked, and used it to stop herself rolling down the hill. The boys took a moment to admire her stunt and the effect of her bokken sliding through the fallen leaves on the hill, making them cascade around her like a whirlwind.

"Alex?" Hex whispered as they watched her walk down the hill and raise a hand to signal farewell.

"Yeah?" Alex replied slowly for they were still watching as her figure disappeared into the woods.

"Your girlfriend is no help-"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Alex shouted back, breaking the spell Razor had put on them and immediately they all began talking. Paulo joined Hex in his taunts to Alex and Alex retaliated with shouts for quiet and he was soon joined by Li who had no idea what was going on anymore. She was annoyed that a moment ago she had them at her mercy and now they couldn't care less.

"Alex, it's alright, don't fight it!"

"Be quiet!"

"If you love her you should go after her."

"I don't-"

"SHUT UP!" All the boys froze as a new voice joined their argument. It was the voice of someone not to be messed with. Hex gulped, he could sense it again; evil had taken a physical form. The boys turned round to greet the newcomer with looks of abject terror. Amber almost towered above them and the sunlight that streamed through her hair blinded them. "We have you surrounded," she said in a silky tone of voice and Alex didn't like the way she stroked the trigger of her gun so affectionately. "Give up." Alex, Hex and Paulo looked at each other and shrugged as they crouched beneath the two girls.

"No," Hex said indifferently and Amber dropped her seductive voice.

"What?" She slung her rifle over her shoulder in a bored manner.

"I don't think you quite understand," Li interjected, "we have you surrounded." And at the click of her fingers, from behind the trees circling the boys, out stepped at least thirty girls of varying ages. "_Give up_." She repeated stubbornly and the boys stood slowly, their hands reached for their weapons in what they knew was going to be their last desperate fight for freedom-

"Damn!" Amber shouted as an alarm signalled the end of The Game. "Next time," she pointed a finger at the boys as they laughed, tossed her hair in Hex's face and walked off. Li looked them up and down distastefully before turning away haughtily and walking after Amber. The boys waved to the girls group as they left and tried to think of themselves as the three lone soldiers, the last of the boys' team…slightly heroic-

"What're you so happy about?" Razor called to them from the door leading back into the main building, she watched them high five each other before rolling her eyes.

"What's not to be happy about?" Hex shouted back.

"You've got detention!" She reminded them, "I'm supervising-"

"_Wahey_!" All three of them shouted sarcastically.

"Get in here now!" They shook their heads solemnly before running down to meet Razor by the doors. They had forgotten, in the heated and serious battle that had just gone on, that something as normal as "detention" still existed in this place.

* * *

Amber sat back on the bench and put her elbows back on the table, eyeing up the enemy as though this were real war. She was surprised Hex had such confidence for such a nerd, she wasn't sure what it was exactly that annoyed her about him but she was determined to have as much fun as possible. She turned her head to his left to see Alex, in the middle of Hex and Paulo, always in the middle. He seemed to be in between Hex and Paulo as well as being between the girls and the boys; they were lucky, in a way, that Alex was there or else anarchy would have most likely ensued. She smiled at him in a way that made him shudder before moving her attention to Paulo. She genuinely laughed as she saw he had adopted the same pose as her, lazily looking around the place as though nothing interested him. He was discussed every day by the girls she hung around with for he was easily the best looking boy at the camp. She bit her lip as she realised that part of the reputation of being as popular as she was meant that she should do something about this. But then who really cared? What did it matter if beneath the exterior of shallow materialism and wealth there was a girl who thought about other, much more useful things? But she had to stop thinking about that; thinking about it just made it worse, made her remember _why _she was like that.

"You guys have really annoyed him," Razor muttered as she stood behind a desk in a room in the administration building. "I mean _seriously_," she commented on the prank the boys had pulled. She wasn't really talking to anyone so no one responded and when they did not she looked up to see, opposite her desk were two benches parallel to each other and the two groups were looking at each other with such loathing that the air seemed to turn to ice. "It's time to grow up." She said and slammed their filed onto the desk in front of her, making them jump. She wasn't angry, just needed their attention. She looked at them again and as glad to see their eyes were finally on her. She shrugged off her military jacket and jumped onto the desk to sit, cross-legged, on it. "You guys are almost some of the oldest here. And the kids see you acting like this?" Hex, Li, Amber and Paulo blushed slightly; it was OK to be told off that morning by an adult, it was very embarrassing when it was someone their own age. "It's pathetic," she said bluntly and Alex opened his mouth to say something but she cut across him, "shut up, Alex." Hex and Paulo smirked as Alex was told off. "You will all be doing three hours of detention tonight." She informed them, "first hour and a half as a group, plenty of time to get to know each other," she muttered under her breath, "and the next half will be in pairs." Hex raised his hand, unsure of what authority she had. "What?" She asked impatiently.

"There are five of us." He pointed out; they couldn't go in pairs.

"Alex will be with me for the second half." She said quickly and saw Paulo whisper something to Alex, making him cringe. "Enough jokes," she said warily, "what you think Alex is the first guy I've had to show around?" The five sat up straighter, suddenly giving Razor more respect; she was definitely angry. "You think I haven't had the boyfriend jokes? The sex jokes? The _her- sword-is-bigger-than-yours- _jokes?" Paulo looked to his knees as though he were a child being scolded by a teacher. Razor saw their attitudes change to embarrassment and sorrow before she realised she'd become to angry. "Look," she said, wondering if she should explain. "I've been here for three years and each year I get a look at the new kids joining us." They all looked at each other before leaning towards Razor eagerly to listen. Razor felt stupid for telling them but she wanted them to know. "I asked specifically for you five to be put in my squadron," she said slightly guiltily and the five stared at her open mouthed. "You were all perfect on paper," she explained, "I chose you personally to lead _my _kids." She stood up from the desk and looked around at them all. "I had to practically _fight _for you guys to be here," she said and they bowed their heads ashamedly. "So, to hear you guys had started a ridiculous feud like this," she paused and they waited for the worst, "it really disappointed me." She finished and they all inwardly groaned. Anger, bitterness, anyone can take but when people play the "disappointed card" it always makes you feel a whole lot worse. "You'll be in the archives," she said suddenly, no longer upset, "sorting our files. I'll come and collect you when the first half is over." They simply sat and looked on at her, a part of them realising what it was the kids here liked her for. "Well?" She prompted them, "get out of my sight." They smiled as she broke the ice with her usual friendly-sounding yet authoritative remark. No one said anything as they filed out of the door, Camille turned back to her desk and looked at the five files in front of her.

"Razor?" She turned and saw Hex, who was the last to leave the room, stood at the doorway. "Sorry." He said in the manliest voice he could muster and for what he thought may be the first time, he saw a flicker of a smile cross her face.

"Get lost." She said and he smiled at her before leaving the room.

* * *

It was strange, Li thought, how the anger of one teenage girl could turn the group of five from enemies to a well-oiled, filing machine. Li was removing files, passing them to Hex who typed their dates into a spreadsheet that he had created and everyone, (secretly including Amber,) had marvelled at. He then handed it to Alex who stamped them with the correct stamp, who handed it to Amber for inserting sheets and lastly to Paulo who filed it correctly again. They worked most of the time in silence because every time they spoke an argument would flare up between Hex and Amber, in truth the other three were getting quite sick of it.

"You know," Paulo said, attempting to start up conversation again and ignoring the warning looks from Li and Alex, "that Razor girl…she's cool." Everyone nodded their agreement and continued working in silence.

"It sounds like she really stuck her neck out for us." Li commented and Amber felt a tiny pang in her stomach before continuing for Li:

"She sounded like she really…_believed _in us." Amber blushed as she realised it just sounded stupid.

"It sounded like she cared." Hex said and there was a moment in which Amber caught Hex's eye and he thought she was going to retaliate but she simply nodded at him. "Which is strange," he continued, now knowing Amber was not going to attack in any way, "seeing as it comes across as though she only cares about herself." Alex, who took the file from Hex nodded at him.

"I was talking to some people at lunch," he added, "you know how I was saying everyone loves her even though she's horrible to them?" Everyone nodded, "it's because, deep, _deep _down, she cares about the kids here more than the adults-"

"What's so great about that?" Paulo asked.

"Well all the other teenagers in senior positions are just here to get approval from the adults," Alex explained, "they're mean to the kids to make the adults happy which means no one really like them. But Razor is harsh because she wants to discipline them, make them better at what they're good at."

"She's harsh because she cares?" Amber asked and Alex nodded.

"She cares _a lot_." He said, "the others told me that once she almost lost her position when she protested against the Angels patrolling corridors at night. But when the adults saw how much the children here supported her, they could only back down and let her win."

"You know what Alex?" Hex asked and Alex looked up as he handed a file to Amber. "Your wife is alright." He commented and they all smirked.

"She's got issues," Amber added, "but she's alright." They went back to working in silence. Five minutes passed before Amber spoke again, "Alex you have the craziest accent," he smiled, "where are you from?"

"Northumberland," he told her, "Northern England, in the county town of Morpeth-"

"Alright, alright," Amber said, "I didn't ask for your life story." Usually Amber would have been mean but they were too used to her sarcasm now and simply laughed, even she grinned.

"Is it just you and your parents?" Hex asked Alex who nodded.

"Just me, mum and dad-"

"What do your parents do?" Li asked and Alex frowned.

"Since when did we start playing twenty questions?" Alex muttered but answered her anyway, "mum's a housewife I guess," He said "and dad's in the SAS." He smiled proudly and the others even grinned slightly as a childish admiration glowed from Alex.

"I'm guessing you want to take after your father?" Paulo asked and Alex nodded eagerly.

"What about you?" Alex asked him and Paulo, who was the only one sitting down, sat forwards in his chair and yawned.

"Argentina," he said and they assumed that's where he was from, "I have a pretty big family, few brothers and sisters," he shrugged as though he was to lazy to talk, "my family own a ranch out there-"

"Really?!" Li shouted excitedly, making everyone jump, she smiled at them guiltily, "my parents are zoologists," she explained, "I get excited when it comes to animals." She finished feebly and Hex sniggered so she clipped him round the head with a file before handing it to him. "I live in London with them," she said and Hex turned to her.

"Where abouts?" he asked.

"West London," she said and he shook his head before turning to the group.

"Me, mum, dad, little brother," he ticked them off in his head, "North London," he explained his disappointment at Li. "My mum's a math teacher," he said sheepishly "and," he paused, "I don't really know what my dad does."

"How can you not know?" _(A/N: I still don't know what my dad does and I worked for his company for a week…A WEEK.) _Amber asked and Hex shrugged.

"It's just one of the great mysteries of life." He said dramatically and they laughed, "what about you?" He asked Amber, "where are you from?" The smile faded from Amber's face.

"Boston," she said quietly, "I live with my uncle." No one was quite sure of what to say to this; it was obvious that something had happened either to her parents or _between _her and her parents but it was no one's place to ask. "He's a business executive," she said quickly to fill the silence. "You going to hand me that file?" She asked Alex who had been staring dumbly at her.

"Sorry," he muttered and handed it to her. They all continued working but after about thirty seconds they turned to Paulo as he was laughing to himself in the corner. He handed Amber a file.

"Check this guy's name out." He gasped between the laughter and Amber raised an eyebrow but as she read it she put a hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"How unfortunate," she said before dissolving into hysterics and as the file got passed around the group each of them joined in the laughter until the door opened. Into the room, Razor walked, looking around with suspicion.

"Hope you kids didn't have too much fun." She winked at Paulo and it surprised her that he had anticipated she would do that and winked at her at the same time. She leant against the doorframe and folded her arms as though waiting for them to speak. "Do you have anything to say?" She asked and cleared her throat.

"Sorry Cammie," they said in unison and she smiled.

"Alright," she stood up straight and addressed them all as though they were soldiers. "You will be divided into pairs; Li and Paulo follow Max," from behind the door the Junior Medic waved at Alex who forced a smile in return. "Amber and Hex follow Amy," the uptight girl Alex had met earlier simply walked in with no greeting. Amber and Hex shared a look of uncertainty before Razor began talking again. "Alex," she looked to him, "with me." Everyone paired up and went to join their supervisor with bitter disrespect. They had already begun adopting the view of the other children at the camp; if they were going to be supervised by anyone they wanted it to be Camille, not these teenagers. Once outside the door, Camille locked up and turned back to them. "Max is taking Paulo and Li to the Wavelength, Amy is taking Paulo and Li to Administration and Alex and I are going to the top." Amy and Max nodded, leaving the others to simply be bewildered by what _the top _meant. Everyone gave goodbyes, the five in detention swung their rucksacks over their shoulders and left. Camille and Alex smiled politely at one another before walking away together. As they walked Alex was reminded of something she had said earlier.

"Raze?" She looked over to him.

"What?"

"Earlier you said you'd taken guys around before?" He said and she looked puzzled.

"Yes?"

"So I'm not your first?" She looked over to him and scowled as he smirked.

"Don't make me hurt you."

* * *

_-Paulo & Li's detention with Max-_

_-The Wavelength-_

The Wavelength was a cylindrical building with the outside made entirely of metal frame and glass panels allowing everyone outside to see the five different levels in the building. Inside the first floor was like any music room in a school with tables, chairs, keyboards, computers and random instruments strewn across the place. In the middle of the building was a cylinder structure with acted as a store cupboard in each floor. It was in this that Paulo and Li found themselves sorting instruments. Max stood at the door, watching intently as they glanced at him occasionally before placing the instrument in the correct box. It was tedious, boring, tiring, pointless, annoying work that they had to do and soon they were becoming irritable. Luckily a beep issued from Max's jeans pocket and the turned to him to see him look at his pager with distaste.

"Some kid is still not eating." He muttered and looked over at them. One thing they didn't like was the fact that the Wavelength had so much natural light coming into it because of the glass panels, but this cylindrical cupboard had to be illuminated with artificial lights that were far too bright. Paulo and Li had to shield their eyes to look at him. "I have to go for a while, keep working." He said and left them. They looked at each other before sitting down on the boxes and getting out bottles of water from their bags. They drank greedily for, in the artificial light, in this small cupboard, it was stuffy and too hot. They were too tired to say anything to each other and simply looked around the room.

"Hey look," Paulo whispered to Li who stood as he walked to a wall with shelves of flutes stacked on them and pointed behind the shelves.

"What?" Li said, straining her neck to see it.

"There's a door," Paulo said almost to himself before, without any warning, he tore the shelves away from the wall and Li let out a small scream of surprise. He turned back to her and she smiled as the light illuminated the sweat on his brow and he raised an eyebrow at her with arrogance. "It's alright," he said quietly before moving aside to show Li the door. She walked around him and, with no cautiousness, took the handle and pushed the door. To their surprise it opened. They looked at each other before Paulo flicked a switch next to the door to make the lights turn on in the room beyond the door. It was a small room with a single filing cabinet and they walked in gingerly. Paulo went to inspect the cabinet but Li went straight in and opened a middle drawer. She removed a file as Paulo read a slip of paper attached to the side of the cabinet. "Primary targets, 2009…?" He said uncertainly, "what are…?" But his voice faded as Li held up the file in her hands so he could see. The file read the name _Amber Middleton.

* * *

-Alex's detention with Razor-_

_-"The Top"-_

It turned out the top was the roof of the tallest building in the camp. And that just so happened to be the Administration Block. Alex wondered why he was beginning to spend more time here than in his own block. Or his own room. He watched with mild amusement as Razor opened the door to the roof and ran out to the railing with excitement. He stepped out after her and into the dying sunshine for the sun was beginning to set. It was surprising that there was only a small breeze up here and he smiled as Razor turned to him at the railing with a grin.

"It's awesome up here." She called to him and as he walked to her he had to agree as he saw the sky was lined with colours of purple and pink and the sun settled itself on the horizon. He hadn't before realised that the camp was in the middle of nowhere for you could see for at least three miles into the distance and there was simply fields and woods surrounding the place.

"It's stunning," he agreed as he came to stand by her and looked out onto the scenery. Alex loved the outdoors, it's where he felt most at home and Camille smiled as she saw something sparkle in him. "You know, back home it's even more amazing." He looked across to her but his smile faded as her head was tilted to one side and she was trying to look at something in his bag. He realised what it was and tried to move in time but Razor snatched the photograph before he had time to move. "Raze, wait-"

"Awwww!" She exclaimed and Alex shuddered as she made the usual female noise when it came to this picture. "Alex, you were so cute!" She smiled broadly and looked at him, "so what went wrong?" He grimaced as she said this and looked back to the picture. It was of him as a young child, perhaps four years old, stood in his garden with his father and some of his father's friends. After Camille got over the mess of blonde curls she looked to the other people in the picture and Alex did not notice her smile fade.

"That's my dad." He said pointing to him, "and…dad's friends?" He guessed and only now noticed the look of bewilderment on Razor's face. "What is it?" He prompted her and she shook her head in disbelief.

"Alex," she moved her index finger across the picture to a man stood amidst the group of men in the garden. He was smiling broadly and already had the beginnings of wrinkles in his coffee coloured skin. "Do you know who that is?" She asked and Alex looked closer before shaking his head.

"Sorry, I was only four when this was taken, I don't remember." He said and when Camille rubbed the back of her neck he was instantly worried. "Why? Do you know?" Camille looked up at him, still amazed.

"That's my dad."

* * *

_-Hex and Amber's detention with Amy-_

_-Administration block-_

Stuck in a small office room with Amber was the last place Hex wanted to be. Sure, they were pleasant enough to each other but there were the covert looks he could sense of her snickering at him. They were typing up hand written notes under Amy's supervision, meaning she just sat there staring blankly into space. Occasionally she would tell them they were doing it wrong but offer no help. Hex and Amber decided not to talk for they didn't want Amy to listen. Amber looked across to Hex as he typed much faster than she did, evidently he was more at home with a computer than she was. Amy got up suddenly.

"I'm going to get coffee." She said sharply before leaving the room. As soon as the door shut Amber slumped forwards on her keyboard.

"Ow," she muttered as her head hit the table. Hex leant back into his chair and flexed his fingers. He looked over to Amber and sighed before walking over to her desk. She got up slowly and looked at him, for once, without annoyance.

"Here," he picked up some of the files she had left to do. She began to protest but he carried on anyway and talked over her, "you're useless," he commented, "I'll get it done faster." Even though he said that he smiled at her and she smiled gratefully.

"Thanks Hex," she said quietly and Hex put a hand to his ear.

"Sorry?" He said mockingly, "was that Amber Middleton being nice?" She frowned at him.

"Thank you," she said loudly and he nodded as though all was right with the world, "just don't expect me to be your best friend." She added and he put his hands up as though getting her to back away.

"Alright, alright!" He said, "at least a _thank you _is a start."

"Sorry." That single word took Hex by surprise and he was so shocked he dropped the files in his arms. He went to retrieve them and popped his head up from under the desk.

"What?" He asked.

"I said I'm sorry," she sighed, "for not being nice earlier-"

"Amber stop," he said quickly, "you're freaking me out." And even though they came to a small agreement that Amber could continue to tease him and he would retaliate, they had also come to the conclusion that that was fine. It was OK because they were in this together, on the same playing field. In this camp there was no rich or poor, no nerd or popular kid. At least, not where things really mattered, like detention. "Amy's been gone for ages." Hex said and walked to the door.

"She could have at least offered us something." Amber added and looked up when she heard Hex struggle to get the door open.

"Push, idiot." She suggested and Hex thanked her for her help. He pushed and pulled but the door did not open. She walked over to him, "move aside," she said and tried her hardest to get the door open. Hex smiled as she could not do it, "shut up." She said to his look.

"I didn't say anything-"

"You were thinking it." She snapped. "Hex," he turned to her quickly, there was a pleading, almost desperate tone to her voice, "my bag is outside the door." She said and Hex raised an eyebrow as she began to panic. "Did you hear my hacker-boy?!" She shouted at him, "_my bag_."

"What is it with women and their handbags-"

"Get this door open!" She shouted at him and he jumped.

"Amber, calm down-"

"I AM CALM, YOU…" Amber stopped speaking and Hex moved just in time. She was unconscious before he caught her.

* * *

**Reviews appreciated!**

**See you in three months, (place your bets if you think I'm actually going to manage three months :-P)  
**

**Valentine.**


	7. Memories Mar the Mind

**Valentine is back and would like to point out that she has no political agenda whatsoever.

* * *

**

_-Wavelength-_

"Oi, you two!" Luckily Paulo and Li heard the footsteps before the shout and so were able to sneak out of the secret room and get back to work unnoticed. Max walked in, looking upset; his wild hair was even crazier than when he'd left and in the space of half an hour he'd gone from looking upbeat to incredibly tired. He looked at them both and their innocent smiles gave nothing away. "It's almost time to…" He swore quietly as his phone started ringing, he retrieved it from his pocket and practically shouted a greeting. "What do you want?!" He snapped impatiently and the other two jumped. Their smiles faded as Max's anger subsided and was replaced with worry. "When did it happen?" He nodded at the answer; forgetting people can't see you when you're just on the phone. "I'll be right there." He ended the call and looked up to Li and Paulo. "Amber Middleton collapsed ten minutes ago-"

"Collapsed?" Li said fearfully and there was no answer to her for Max was already moving. Li looked to Paulo who tried to give her a reassuring look but wasn't sure if it worked. They ran out of the room, after Max who was making his way to the hospital.

* * *

_-The Top- _

"No way," Alex said, examining the man in the photograph and looking back at Razor to see any resemblance.

"I look like my mother," she said nonchalantly as her finger passed over the photograph. "And you," she looked up at him again to let her cat-like eyes pass over his face, "look like your father." She observed with a small smile. "I wonder what the connection is?" She said out loud and Alex's brow furrowed as he tried to remember if his dad had ever mentioned anything.

"My dad's with the SAS." As soon as Alex mentioned this Razor's eyes lit up.

"Mine is with the SRR." She explained. There was a moment of silence in which Alex noticed Camille was not herself; not the familiar, insensitive, tough-talking tyrant he'd grown to know, but now she seemed more human.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly as it was unlike Razor to stay quiet for so long. She hadn't taken her eyes off the photograph and Alex was beginning to worry.

"They look very close," she pointed out, not really listening to him. "But that can change, right?" She looked up and Alex was caught off guard by the way the sunlight in her eyes would glisten and for a moment was left breathless. "People change, don't they?" She said bitterly and handed the picture back. She turned away from him and looked out to the skyline. Alex had no idea what to say; he had never seen her this way, he'd never really thought she'd be capable of showing anyone how she was feeling. "What is it about you?" She asked suddenly and looked over to him, "that makes me feel like I know you?" Alex smiled.

"Like we've met before?" Alex agreed with her. From the first moment she had threatened him, he knew there was something familiarly affectionate in her murderous intent. Like she had done it before. She nodded and in the dying sunlight was surprised to find that she was beginning to feel warm even though the darkness was drawing nearer. "Well we probably have," Alex said softly, "considering our dad's know each other." Razor smiled.

"When we were kids-"

"Back when you were just Cammie." Alex reminded her and she gasped in offence.

"And when you were adorable." She indicated to the child in the picture.

"I am adorable!" They laughed and Alex was just happy to see her smile again. Slowly the smiles faded and they looked at each other again, trying to figure out what it was that was so memorable about each other. They jumped as Camille's phone rang she smiled apologetically and put the phone to her ear.

"Hey, Ma…what?" Alex, who had been leaning against the railing, stood up straight; ready to run for he could hear in her voice they were about to. "We'll be there." She put her phone away and was already running.

"Raze?" Alex called after her and she remembered he was with her; she'd been alone in this place for a long time so it was strange to have someone with her.

"Amber Middleton collapsed about fifteen minutes ago." She said and kept running. Alex was lucky he'd done training before coming to this place; she ran with great speed and he had to try his hardest to keep up. In no time they reached the hospital, it was the easiest building to miss in this place because it was perfectly ordinary. Unlike the other buildings that all had a theme or strange architecture this building looked like classrooms could have been inside. But as they entered Alex changed his mind; the overwhelming smell of disinfectant and unnatural cleanliness made it clear this was a hospital. In the foyer they saw Hex, Paulo and Li sat on chairs. They stood as the other two entered. Razor simply had to look at Hex and he told her exactly what happened and without a word she went into a side room to see Amber. Alex was going to follow but Paulo held him back.

"Hex," Alex turned to the boy, who looked slightly shaken, his green eyes flicked up to Alex and looked away before he sat down and clasped his hands together. "Has anyone seen you?" Hex knew what he meant.

"They don't need to, I'm fine." He said unconvincingly.

"You don't look it." Li said seriously and sat down next to him. Paulo and Alex stood opposite them and tried to listen for anything going on in the room.

"I just," Hex sighed, "I want to see Amber." Is all he said and the others nodded, wondering what else may have happened in the Administration Block that afternoon.

* * *

"Where's Amy?" Was the first thing Camille said as she entered the room. She looked over to see Amber lying in a bed, suffocated by the sheets almost. The dark skinned girl raised a shaking hand in recognition of her friend. "Are you alright?" She asked Amber quickly and the Junior medic, Max answered for her.

"She's doing fine now but we need to have a serious talk." He said pointedly and the adult Medical Officer, who no one knew the name of, the kids referred to him as Doctor Who, nodded to confirm Max's comment.

"That's right." He said wisely, "need to have a real heart-to-heart." Doctor Who was a short, fat man who constantly had a smile on his face and Camille often wondered how many patients felt comforted by a man who looked manic all the time.

"Later," Camille said and again asked; "where is she?" It looked like no one was going to answer and they heard the front doors of the building open. In a flash Razor left the room.

"Camille!" Max called after her; he knew what was coming and it wasn't good. He smiled at Amber, "excuse me." She tried to smile back as he left but found she had no energy. She hated it; she could hear everyone talking about her and she could say nothing herself. Max walked out, the doctor stayed to continue writing up on Amber's file.

* * *

Alex, Paulo, Li and Hex all looked up and stood quickly as the front doors opened. The girl they knew as Amy, walked in and looked surprised to see them all which was difficult to see considering her eyebrows were so far above her eyes. At the same moment Razor walked out of the side room and the others turned to her as well, Max followed and greeted them all with a wave. They noticed Camille's eyes narrow on Amy who, they were surprised, was able to stand her ground and not cower beneath such a glare.

"Care to explain," Camille said each word with such venom that the others were sure Amy would be dead by the second syllable, "why you left them in a locked room?" She whispered dangerously. Amy smoothed back her hair haughtily. "I'm waiting for an answer." Hex, who was still sat, looked past Alex to see Camille's hand on the handle of her bokken and was gripping so tight her knuckles turned white.

"I wanted a drink-"

"That's not a very good answer." Camille said and squared her shoulders, put one foot in front of another and Li recognized the pose instantly.

"I don't need to answer you-"

"You will when things concern kids in my squadron." Camille was not letting her get away. "Hex?!" He jumped up as she addressed him and stood to attention. "How long were you left for?" Hex tried to remember.

"About twenty-five minutes-"

"Liar!" Amy shouted at him and Hex was taken aback. Razor noticed Hex's posture, shaking hands and slow speech; she looked pointedly at Max who nodded.

"Are you lying?" Razor asked and Hex shook his head.

"It takes me four minutes to type up one sheaf of documents," Hex said and everyone smiled slightly; Hex paid attention to detail all the time, "and I did all of row A…that's six sheaves…twenty-four minutes." Amy opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"I'm going straight to Pierce with this." Razor said suddenly and even Max was surprised.

"You wouldn't dare," Amy said scathingly and Razor smiled.

"You don't mess with anyone in my squadron." She said seriously, "it was unacceptable behavior from a junior." Razor said and looked over to the four teenagers that made up the audience. "you can stay or you're free to go." She said to them and they stayed where they were, she smiled. "there's a kitchen over there," she nodded down the hall, "help yourself." She walked back to Amber's room. Max walked over to Hex.

"Hello…Hex, is it?" He said uncertainly and Hex nodded. "Let's take a look at your heart rate." Everyone, who had been looking at Amy as though she should crawl back into her hole, looked away as she became embarrassed.

"That girl has no clue what she's getting herself into." Amy muttered and Paulo stood up.

"Razor is just looking out for Amber." He said protectively and Amy scoffed.

"Yeah, leave her alone." Li said from behind Paulo. Amy turned to them and looked Alex up and down.

"If I were you I'd stay away from Razor." She said ominously and Alex, who had been looking over his shoulder, turned around to her fully.

"What're you talking about?" He said slowly and Amy smiled.

"You'll find out soon enough." She said and left, leaving the others to look on after her and they saw, outside the first stars of the evening were twinkling above them.

"Max?" Alex looked down to him as the medic knelt next to Hex, "what did she mean?" Max sighed and stood up.

"That girl has hated Razor since the word go." He shrugged, "no one's sure why; Razor may be arrogant and vain but still, she's good at what she does." Max shrugged. "You either love her, hate her or stay the hell away from her." He said and walked away. "I need to speak with Amber. Razor said you can stay here or leave, but Amber won't be leaving the hospital tonight." And with that he left them and the four looked at each other with a growing sense of dread.

* * *

I know not much happened but I felt that was a long enough chapter- I don't want to ruin it!

Reviews appreciated.


	8. Electric Green

Amber felt alone. She hadn't felt this alone in a long time; she felt sick and cold and hungry and she had never, in such a long time, wanted her parents. When she felt herself slipping into darkness, when she felt herself becoming lost, there was nothing she longed for apart from them. And then that strange sense of anger began to take her over as she thought of how they had left her without so much as a goodbye. She gripped the bed sheets tightly as she thought back to their last moments…she couldn't quite picture their faces properly anymore. Slowly, the outline of them faded and the darkness was lifted as consciousness came back to her.

Amber's eyes flickered open as she heard the rustling of papers around her. As her eyes adjusted to the bright light of her hospital room, the blurred figure of Razor came into focus and Amber saw that she was sat with the Doctor and Max, at the foot of her bed. She tried to say something but it came out as a weird grunt. They were all talking amongst themselves, whispering, about her; that had happened so often this past year and she was sick of it. She put a hand to her head and wiped hair away from her brow as it was plastered there with sweat. As she did so Razor finally noticed Amber was awake.

"Evening," Razor said, tilting her head in that annoying, sympathetic way. "Amber, we have a lot to discuss." Razor was being so nice, almost mothering. It was kind of freaky. "This is the Doctor," Razor nodded to the fat man next to her who gave Amber a toothy grin, "he has some questions." Amber nodded and took the glass of water that Max offered her. He helped her sit up in the bed and as Amber drank greedily she noticed all three of them sat in front of her with a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other.

"Amber," the Doctor began and she raised an eyebrow; this guy was smiling as though nothing were wrong. "You are aware you are a diabetic?" It was such a pathetically patronizing question that Amber wanted to strangle him. She decided against it and nodded.

"I take Metformin," she commented and as soon as she said this, the doctor and Max looked at her in surprise. Razor, who was sat in the middle, noticed this too.

"What?" Camille asked and the two men looked at each other with equal shock.

"Miss Middleton," Doctor Who began, "these pills, even along with your exercises and diet, aren't enough to keep blood sugar levels under control; they are still far too high." Amber shook her head.

"No, they're not." Amber said bluntly and the Doctor looked at her curiously.

"Yes, they are." He replied slowly.

"The Metformin has been working-"

"You should be taking insulin injections." The doctor corrected her. Amber was getting fed up; she was tired, felt ill and was annoyed with the way they treated her like a child. "Sometimes a cocktail of drugs isn't enough." The Doctor concluded. "Of course, this means Miss Razor will have to have a long chat with you about what's going to happen here-"

"What do you mean?" Amber asked and sat up straighter with what little strength was left. Camille, who had been listening quietly for the last five minutes, put her pen down and looked Amber in the eye.

"I'm afraid you will have one day to recover here and then your," she checked the page in front of her quickly, "uncle will have to collect you."

"What?" Amber said loudly and Camille sighed. "That wasn't a chat, that was you telling me what you want to happen!" She protested.

"Middleton," Razor snapped at her and she was immediately quiet, "this is a lifestyle change that will take a while to get used to; you're going to be injecting yourself every day." As she said this, her phone began to ring. Razor rolled her eyes before glancing to the screen of her phone, once she looked at who was calling her eyes widened.

"Who is it?" Max asked after noticing her look.

"Creek." She whispered in disbelief and even Amber was surprised; to get a call from the Head of the camp was extremely unusual. Camille stood up and walked to the back of the room to take the call. "Sir?" Camille answered the phone and listened intently for a minute. "I don't think…No, Sir. Wait! What?" Even the Doctor looked at Razor with surprise; it was unlike her to get flustered. "Ok. Yes, Sir." She hung up the phone and turned back to the group. "Creek says she stays." She sighed exasperatedly.

"Yay." Amber said quietly from the bed and tried to move her arms up but had no strength. The other three looked at her with blank faces.

"Are you kidding?" Max asked and stood up.

"No," Razor ran a hand through her hair. "He said she shouldn't leave."

"With no reason?" The Doctor asked and Camille nodded. "Well then," the Doctor replaced his worried look for his psychotic smile and turned to Amber. "Insulin pens," he said happily and as they sat down to discuss what was going to happen to Amber. But Razor knew something was wrong and she was determined to find out what that was.

* * *

_-1.47 AM, The Wavelength Centre-_

"Let me get this straight," Hex said in his familiar, sarcastic tone that everyone was just getting used to, "you think that someone is…_targeting,_ Amber. You think someone made her collapse?" He asked and Paulo and Li, who were walking in front of him, turned around and nodded in unison. Alex and Hex, who were walking together, simply looked at them with bored eyes.

"I know it sounds crazy!" Li said as she turned her torch to their faces. "But we found this secret room…" her words trailed to non-existence as she realized how strange it sounded.

"Seriously, just follow us!" Paulo said and continued to guide them to the room in the Wavelength. They continued to walk through the torch-lit darkness for a few minutes until Alex spoke, breaking the silence.

"This is my second day here and I've already broken into this building twice," he ticked it off in his head, "got detention, got shouted out by a superior-"

"You know, Alex," Li said smoothly from in front of him, "when you downplay your rebellious side it's kind of unattractive." Alex stopped walking and looked to Hex as he passed by. Hex glanced back to him.

"What? She's right." He said and Alex opened his mouth to say something before changing his mind. He continued to follow them and eventually they came to the same small room that Li and Paulo were stuck in only a few hours ago. Hex stepped forwards and no one really had any idea what he was doing when he hooked his palmtop into the place where a keycard should have been and began to type quickly. Within seconds the door opened and Hex unhooked his palmtop from the door.

"I guess being a cyber-geek really does come in handy." Li commented.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Hex replied to her as she grinned mischievously.

Paulo shone his torch inside the room and they saw the usual stack of instruments on the shelves. Li walked past Paulo and he stood at the door, letting the other two boys in before checking no one had been looking or was in the building. He looked through the glass walls to the sky and was reminded of the moments at home when he used to just lie beneath the sky and look up to the star-filled clouds. He'd done this so often he could recognize some constellations. Once he was certain no one was around, he walked in after them and looked towards where Li was stood.

"Paulo," Li said uncertainly, "where was the door?" She inquired and Paulo sighed before walking forwards.

"Right here," he said as he walked up to her but as he came closer he saw that there was no door in the wall. "What the…?" He muttered as he let his hands travel against the grey stone wall to find a handle, a line in the stone but there was nothing.

"Aren't we a little old for these games?" Hex asked them both and Li and Paulo turned to him with open mouths.

"No, seriously!" Li said and checked the wall again, "there was a door and a room, with files that said she was a target-"

"Alright, say we believe you," Alex interjected, "what are we supposed to do about it?" Paulo thought for a moment.

"Tell Razor." Alex raised an eyebrow, "she'll listen to us; she trusts us!"

"Not when she finds out we broke into here again." Hex pointed out and they all stood in silence in the dreary darkness. "Let's get out of here." Hex concluded for them all and it took a few more moments for Li and Paulo to give up, shrug and follow Hex and Alex out. "I guess we should go back to the Hospital."

* * *

_-2.12 AM. The Hospital- _

As the four teenagers re-entered the hospital they were greeted by the sight of Razor, stood with her hands on her hips and as they approached they realized that she looked incomplete, there was something missing from her frame. Each of them nodded as they realised it was because she did not have her bokken with her. She also did not look as pristine as usual; her hair, which was usually tied up, fell lose and her eyes were slightly red. She rubbed her eyes and turned to them as they entered.

"Hey," she greeted them all with a smile and they all stood in a straight line in front of her. She was glad to see that they had finally learnt their place in front of her. "Amber is doing fine now. She needs to rest for a few days but otherwise she'll be out of here and back to normal in no time." They all looked at each other with sighs of relief. "But we've agreed she needs a," she thought for a moment, "friend to take care of her for a while." Everyone nodded.

"Well," Alex said, "we're all here for her-"

"It's nice that after all that's happened, you can agree to be friends. But we've also decided that when it comes to medical care, Paulo is the best qualified to be with her." Everyone looked surprised and then over to Paulo who was shocked at first but eventually nodded. "You'll need to be briefed." Razor nodded towards Amber's door, Paulo walked over and, with one last glance at the others, walked through. "As for the rest of you, get to bed before I put you in detention again." The other three grinned at her and walked out of the Hospital. However, the forced smile from Hex did not go unnoticed.

* * *

_- 6.15 AM, Razor's office-_

Razor heard the footsteps before the knocking at her office door. It gave her time to put Amber's documents away, turn off her computer and sit comfortably; awaiting the person she knew it would be. She adjusted her nightclothes and waited; he must be nervous? He knocked.

"Come in." She said and stifled a yawn; these kids were tiring her out and as she looked to the boy at the door she smiled as she saw her prediction was correct. "Hex." She said simply and her smile broadened as Hex, who had come to the door full of confidence and perhaps even anger, stopped and adopted a more bashful look in response. "Sit down." She indicated, with a nod of her head, the free chair beside her. Hex looked like he wanted to leave but saw she was in a good mood and figured now was as good a time as any. He walked slowly around the desk and as he sat down he was momentarily lost for words; the sunlight that streamed in through the blinds behind Razor, shone through her hair and her cat-like eyes glistened like gold when she fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Are we going to talk about it?" Razor asked, filling the silence.

"About what?" Hex jumped out of her enchantment and looked around the room.

"About whatever it is we're not talking about." She said smoothly and sat back. Hex had never been very good at this, especially when it came to girls, but Razor was an exception wasn't she? That's the reason he'd come to see her. He licked his lips for his mouth had suddenly become very dry, cleared his throat and looked her in the eye.

"What exactly has happened to Amber?" He had barely finished his sentence and Camille replied.

"It's not my place to say; you have to ask her." She said and she could see Hex's face fall as she said this. "She's fine." Camille assured him and put a hand on his as his fingers fiddled with the corner of a book on her desk. He stopped fidgeting immediately and Razor smirked as she saw the colour in his pale cheeks rise. "She's safe." The girl said and Hex looked up at her quickly.

"Why Paulo?" He asked uncertainly.

"Amber asked for him, he was the most medically capable." For a fleeting moment Razor's heart twisted as she saw the spark die out from behind Hex's eyes. She held tighter to his hand. "Why are you so concerned?" She asked in almost a whisper and Hex shrugged.

"I'm not." But when Camille laughed he knew the game was up. "I am," he faltered, "but I don't know why." He muttered feebly and she laughed again.

"Why did you come here angry then? Where did the anger come from?" She asked suddenly and Hex smiled as though defeated.

"I wanted to know why I wasn't asked to be with her; out of everyone, I knew her best." Camille thought for a minute; Hex was awfully sweet when nervous. His electric-like, green eyes flicked from hers to the floor and back again.

"Amber's the kind of girl who never lets you know what she's really feeling." Razor commented. "She doesn't want anyone to pity her and they shouldn't; she's strong, she'll see it all through." As Camille said this Hex laughed. "What?" Hex looked at her seriously and Camille almost became embarrassed under the stare of those green eyes.

"You're human." He said and she gasped with fake offence, "wait until I tell the others." He smiled but it soon faded as thoughts of Amber's predicament came flooding back.

"Hey," Camille said, squeezing on his hand again to get his attention. "If you want to help her I suggest you don't make too much of a fuss." She said and pushed her hair away from one side of her neck. She was going to say more but was surprised when Hex spoke again.

"I mean, I don't care." He said quickly as though reassuring himself, "I don't mind who she's with, so long as she's alright." Razor's hand dropped quickly from Hex's and she gulped, a strange feeling was coming over her; was the room getting hotter? "I never thought someone like her would even consider talking to someone like me. We're from two ends of the spectrum, you know?" Razor shook her head but it wasn't really a question. "She acts so headstrong…" Hex saw that Razor was slightly taken aback by his revelations and he realized that he was never usual like this. "What am I talking about?" He said with a slight smile, "why would she ever want to tell _me _what's wrong." He never let people know what was going on in his head, or his heart, because even he never understood it.

"Hex," Razor whispered and moved towards him, she put her hand on his knee and squeezed slightly, "you are one of the kindest, most honest people I've ever met," she said quietly, "Amber's lucky to have a friend like-" Before Camille had even finished her sentence, the few rays of morning sunshine that passed between them were cut off as Hex closed the distance between them and kissed her. After a moment of astonishment, Razor closed her eyes and ran a hand through Hex's hair-

"Ahem," they broke apart immediately following the clearing of Max's throat. He stood at Razor's door and looked at them both with an expression that could have been one of shock, or he was impressed. Razor looked from Max to Hex who stood up and looked down to Razor who still looked confused as to what had happened.

"I'll catch you later Camille." Hex said quietly and walked out of the room, Razor watched him go.

"I was listening outside the door." Max said once Hex had left and he shut the door. "I thought it was just me, who thought the geek got really attractive." He waved a hand at Razor because she was just sat, staring at the door as though thunderstruck; her fingertips brushed her lips as her heart rate slowed. She turned her gaze to him slowly and could think of nothing to say. He let out a low whistle. "I didn't think any boy could leave you speechless, Camille." He sniggered but then was straight-faced when he saw she was still not reacting. "You've fallen-"

"I have not." Razor snapped with as much bitterness as he remembered she was capable of, but Max didn't buy any of it.

"Maybe you should ask him to the dance?" He suggested and Razor thought for a moment.

"What dance?"

* * *

**Reviews appreciated!**


	9. Dodging Bullets

"The mid-term ball." Max reminded her and Camille pursed her lips.

"This is the only reason I wanted to make this a single-sex camp," she spat at him and massaged her head, "so that I wouldn't have to chaperone at rubbish events like this-"

"Everyone looks forward to it," Max folded his arms, "you are the only girl who hates attending it and yet everyone wants to see you there." Razor muttered something about not caring what everyone else wanted. "It's the one night we can play music that loud and stay up that late." Razor muttered something about sleep deprivation. "And the little kids get dressed like they're going to a tea party, and then the pre-teens dress like they're going to a disco and the teenagers just don't bother changing their clothes because conforming to the normal rules of a social gathering is not what teenagers do and then the oldest, us, dress like we're part of a Conservative government. With you, Thatcher, as our leader." Razor simply stared at him before sighing.

"I always have to chaperone." She complained, "I never have fun at these things. The little kids cry or puke up on me. The pre-teens try and sneak something illegal in and the most illegal thing that they can get here is…what, more fizzy drinks than they can handle? The teenagers always shout at me to stay up later and then I don't get to spend any time with people my age."

"But you may have a good looking, slightly geeky, British boy to distract your self with." Max winked at her and she shuddered. "Oh, you love it really." Max said and opened the door to her office, before he walked out he turned to her. "You should talk to him you know…" He stopped as Razor looked at him with a _you-don't-say _look.

"I just, I don't, I can't…how the hell did it happen?" She asked and Max slammed the door shut so hard that she jumped and looked around to him in alarm.

"Like you weren't trying it on." He said and Razor wasn't sure why he was so angry. "I'm fed up of this _I care for no one but myself, _attitude." Max snapped and she bowed her head in shame. "You need to start acting like you give a damn, and not shrug away every time a guy looks at you-"

"Alright, alright!" She said and shuddered, "since when were you my guidance councilor?" Camille asked and Max shrugged.

"Since I decided you were crazy." She wasn't listening to him any more and she stood up.

"You're right," Razor admitted, "I need to, err, grow up?" He nodded and she smiled. "I need to find Hex-"

"Go!" He shouted at her and pointed to the door.

"And I need to talk to him-"

"Yes." Max agreed as she walked past him.

"I need to be just as kind as I was ten minutes ago!" She exclaimed and opened the door to her office.

"Yep." She turned back to him and shut the door.

"I need to change out of my night clothes." Max looked her up and down.

"Definitely." Max agreed. "Seeing him in your shorts and high school hoodie just scream desperation."

* * *

"Camille?" Paulo said sleepily and rolled over in his bed. He looked towards the door, to where the only stretch of light spilt into the room and was surprised to see Hex stood at the doorway. The boy let himself in quietly and shut the door, turned around and almost jumped when, in the first few rays of sunlight; he saw Paulo's sleepy eyes blinking at him.

"What?" Hex whispered back and walked over, with light footsteps, so as not to wake Alex, to his own bed. He sat down gently and rubbed his eyes.

"I can smell Camille." Paulo said simply and Hex covered his mouth as he yawned.

"Right. Well, goodnight." Hex said quickly and Paulo, who was still half asleep, could see Hex was avoiding his eye and conversation.

"What I mean to say," Paulo said quietly as he propped himself onto his elbows and looked over to Hex, "was that I can smell Camille _on you_." Hex removed his t-shirt and shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Alex murmured as he turned over, pulling his duvet over him, his eyes were still closed. Hex looked to Alex and his face fell, suddenly the icy feeling of betrayal crept into his stomach and nestled itself there.

"It doesn't mean anything." Hex snapped suddenly and as soon as he did this Alex's eyes opened and the blonde's grey eyes looked over to Hex with scrutiny. Paulo, who had been watching Hex for a while, noted some very familiar gestures Hex made. Hex claimed he had no idea what Paulo was talking about but he rubbed his neck and hands as though trying to rid himself of something that had seeped into his skin. Perfume perhaps?

"You kissed her didn't you!" Paulo exclaimed with as much triumph as you can have in a whisper. Alex, who had been fiddling with the folding of his duvet, stopped slowly and turned to Hex who gulped and did the one thing he shouldn't do, he let his hands pass over his lips.

"Did you?" Alex asked after a minute of silence and Hex, who had been trying to ignore them both, looked to Alex quickly and then to Paulo.

"I didn't do anything." He lied and the other two seemed relieved, "I just kissed her." He admitted and it took a moment for it to register with the other two. Alex said nothing, simply stared at Hex as though he had never seen him before, Paulo, on the other hand, started to laugh. Once he noticed the fallen and crushed look on Hex's face, his giggles subsided. "What's funny?" Hex sounded like a small child being ridiculed.

"Nothing," Paulo said, "but, seriously, Razor?" He asked, for once he was genuinely serious. "She's so…" He gave the universal, male glance and gesture for _attractive_, "but," he said quickly, noticing Hex's raised eyebrow, "you're really…." Again, the simple look, "too." Alex, whose eyes had been stuck on Hex, looked over to Paulo with an open mouth. Paulo's expression faltered. "I don't personally find you attractive, is what I mean to say, but what I'm _trying_ to say is that-"

"Stop talking, Paulo." Alex said sternly and the Argentinian boy looked at his friend.

"Thank you," Paulo said and sat up properly. "So what exactly happened?" Alex sat up too and wrapped his duvet around himself. And so Hex began the long, strange and embarrassing retelling of what had happened in that last half hour.

* * *

By breakfast the news had spread throughout the camp faster than anyone could have anticipated. No one knew how the secret spilled so easily but they all knew one thing; Razor, the anarchistic, violent, wonder woman of the camp, had fallen for someone that no one knew the name of. But soon everyone knew Hex's name, people he had never met came up to him and patted him on the back in a congratulatory manner.

Alex was surprised to find he was slightly jealous; yesterday he was the one getting attention for his promotion and all Hex did was kiss some girl. Well, she wasn't some girl; she was Camille. The girl he never knew he knew when he was a child. He shrugged off the weird feeling of inadequacy and went to his first lesson of the day with Hex and Paulo. Their lesson was in the Bell Quad, outside in the fields and they approached what appeared to be an artificial wall in the middle of all the greenery. They met Li and she was jumping up and down with excitement, she cartwheeled past them a few times before jumping up to greet them.

"Hello!" She shouted, trying to suppress her excitement, "we're rock climbing today!" Li exclaimed and bounced away. Soon the boys understood her excitement, before the teacher, a blonde man in his early thirties, had even given the lecture, she'd shimmied up the wall and practically jumped back down to the open mouthed class. The lesson proceeded with a lecture and then, much to Alex and Hex's amusement, Paulo insisted on racing Li to the top. But before he had even got half way, she was shouting for him to come down for she was bored of waiting. And before they knew it they had two hours to spare. Paulo knew he had to go and see Amber, simply to keep her company as she lay, bored nearly to death in her hospital bed. Li had insisted on climbing in her free time and Hex said he needed to tend to something he called a "proprietary system." Even though Alex could guess it was to get away from the other student's questions about Razor. As Alex was left on his own he decided he'd check out the shooting range situated in the fields a few hundred meters away. He jogged there and enjoyed the cool, clean air of the outdoors and the rush of freedom that came with running in open fields.

He approached the shooting range and was greeted by the Range Conducting Officer, or RCO. An ageing man that looked like he was wearing away in his uniform he insisted on wearing. It was so ancient Alex couldn't even recognize it, it may have been the uniform of a different countries army or even another century's army. The man looked down his nose at Alex and swiped the card around Alex's neck, into a small gadget he had attached to a metal wire on his hip. All of Alex's relevant information came up immediately and the man saw the Alex had completed rifle training. Alex was permitted to enter the shooting range.

The outdoor shooting range was required for long distance shooting, in this case two hundred yards. The range was backed by a high retaining wall, to prevent the ricochet of bullets or shots going outside the bounds of the shooting range. There were small booths for each person but they were wide enough for four, in case an RCO and others wanted to watch over you. Alex had retrieved his air rifle and went to the booth he had been allocated. He secured his earmuffs and placed on the goggles they had supplied him with. He loaded the rifle slowly and carefully, so as not to make any mistakes. He placed the rifle butt into the pocket of his right shoulder and lifted his right elbow for balance. He distributed his weight equally on both his feet and secured his grip. He was ready. Alex looked down the sight of the rifle and aligned it with the metal target a few two hundred yards away.

Suddenly, Alex felt a weight land on his shoulder and he jumped. He turned, furious, to the person next to him and removed his goggles and earmuffs. His anger died out as he saw it was only Razor. She looked worried.

"Alex," she said in a manner far too polite than what he was expecting from her, "have you seen Hex?" Alex simply stared at her cat-like eyes, "it's just that," Razor began again as he said nothing, "I need to talk to him."

"No, I haven't." Alex wasn't sure why he lied but he turned away from her, snapped his earmuffs back on, took aim and pulled the trigger. Razor covered her ears as he fired and then looked to the target; he'd hit the center mark. She was never a girl that was good at controlling her temper and Alex's lack of communication was already annoying her. She jabbed him on the shoulder. Again, Alex removed his earmuffs and turned to her.

"Look, I'm being nice," she said and poked his chest, but Alex's eyes had moved instinctively to her bokken which she had curled her fingers around, "now start talking to me like a Superior, or get out of the firing range-"

"You can't do that!" He protested.

"I can and I will, if you don't stop acting like such a weirdo." She exclaimed and Alex shook his head.

"I'm not acting weird-"

"You just shot that target like it caused you personal insult." Razor folded her arms and looked him up and down before her eyes softened. "What's wrong?" She asked and Alex shrugged.

"Nothing." He replied and ran a hand through his thick blonde hair. Camille looked to the ground.

"Shoot the target, dead on the center again and I'll tell you how to gain access to the private firing ranges, miss and you have to tell me where Hex is." She proposed and Alex shook his head.

"I hit the center and you teach me how to use a bokken," Alex changed her terms and she was impressed; it was strange that someone else her age wanted to learn such an ancient art.

"Fair enough." Alex took aim again, Razor covered her ears. He shot. He missed the center by mere millimeters but it was still clear from where they were standing. "he's in our room." Alex muttered, defeated. Razor knew something was bugging him and so took the rifle from his hands.

"I'm rubbish with guns." She muttered and reloaded the rifle. "So if I hit the center, do you still want that lesson." Alex's lips flickered to a smile and he nodded, "and if I miss, you owe me a dance." She murmured and lifted the weapon.

"Wait, a dance?" He asked but she took aim and pulled the trigger. She missed and as she lowered the rifle to check, she cursed.

"Looks like you owe me." She said and handed the rifle and earmuffs back to him. Alex was still wondering how that deal had worked.

"What dance?" Alex asked as she walked away.

"You'll see," Camille shouted back and waved to him. The blonde watched her figure disappear into the distance and he cursed softly; he knew exactly what that feeling of envy was, he just didn't want to admit it. But something Alex didn't know and Camille didn't understand, was that the girl had missed on purpose.

* * *

**I'm sorry, I know this chapter isn't perfection but I wanted to get the fic moving again, get me back into the KMIYC vibe. I wanted to include a lot more this chapter but I think it's long enough.**

**Reviews appreciated. Keep my hopes up that I'm not making a mockery of the first AF AU. :)  
**


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